Fleming College

Program Highlights

Food Service workers enjoy the camaraderie of working hands-on in a busy team environment and the responsibility of looking after the nutritional welfare of their clients. Your education in nutrition will include the workings of a kitchen in a health care setting and specialized food preparation techniques.

Is This You?

This is a specialized training in the food service industry, and wages are usually higher than in mainstream food service establishments. You will become part of a team as you pursue your passion for preparing nutritious food that will benefit the health of your customers.

Career Prospects

This program fulfills the training requirements for dietary aides working in health care facilities as established by the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Community & Social Services.

Employment opportunities range from hospitals and long-term care facilities to private clinics and retirement residences.

Courses in Food Service Worker Certificate (Online)

Details and registration below

Mandatory

• Introduction to Nutrition (CULN052)
• Nutrition in Health Care (HLTH149)
• Institutional Food Service (HLTH147)
• Communication and the Food Service Worker (COMM099)
• Sanitation and Safety (HLTH148)
• Quantity Food Preparation (HLTH150)

Mandatory

Introduction to Nutrition

CULN052

Learn the basic principles of nutrition and its role in the health care environment. Nutrient composition of foods and current nutrition recommendations for carbohydrate, fat, protein, vitamins, minerals and water will be discussed. An introduction to digestion, absorption and transport of nutrients will be provided. Energy balance and body composition and special considerations for nutrition throughout the lifecycle will also be explored.

Nutrition in Health Care

HLTH149

Focus on the basic principles of diet therapy. Several disease conditions are discussed with emphasis on the therapeutic diets and nutrition support required for treatment. Recommended prior learning: Introduction to Nutrition.

Institutional Food Service

HLTH147

Explore the role of the food service worker's role in health care with an emphasis on requirements under the Long-Term Care Homes Act. Various food production, delivery and service systems will be introduced and departmental operations such as purchasing, receiving, storage and inventory will be discussed. Quality management and costs controls will also be addressed.

Communication and the Food Service Worker

COMM099

This course focuses on the communication skills required by the food service worker. General principles of human communication such as verbal interaction and listening are explored. Learn effective communication skills and techniques for communicating with patients, residents, co-workers, and supervisors. You will also have the opportunity to develop writing skills and presentation skills with a major emphasis on documenting and charting food intake measuring techniques, communication of therapeutic diets and nutrition support required for treatment.

Sanitation and Safety

HLTH148

Focus on preventing food-borne illness within the health care institutional setting. We will address special regulations governing food service and strategies involved in proper food handling, control of contamination. We will also focus on food safety, quality assurance programs, and safe working environments.

Quantity Food Preparation

HLTH150

Gain an understanding of the cooking principles and methods for preparing food in large quantities. You will be introduced to control systems used in quantity food production including menu planning, standardized recipes, portion control, forecasting, scheduling and service. Various food types will be examined including sandwiches, salads, desserts, beverages, soups, meat, poultry, fish, eggs, milk, and cheese. Texture modified and special menu items will also be explored. This course emphasizes the importance of quality improvement and customer satisfaction in quantity food production.