• 60 questions

Certified Dietary Manager Practice Test

Unofficial CDM, CFPP practice questions in the five domains of the board's exam content outline.

A resident with celiac disease has a gluten-free diet order. Which grain must stay off the tray?

Pick an answer, then press Check answer. Then you see Correct or Not quite, with the reason. Keys: A to D pick, Enter checks.

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Exam mode: 40 questions, 45 minutes.

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Unofficial practice questions, not affiliated with the Certifying Board for Dietary Managers. Bank checked October 7, 2026.

The real exam, as the board describes it

Questions
160
Time limit
180 minutes
Retakes
After a wait of at least 90 days, with a new application and fees.
Scored questions
140 of the 160. The other 20 are unscored pretest questions.
Question style
Multiple choice, built on professional situations where a dietary manager has to decide something or solve a problem.
Result
The score report says Pass or Fail.

Checked October 7, 2026 against Exam Content Outline (effective 03-01-2025) and Exam Scoring & Results page, Certifying Board for Dietary Managers. Rules change, so confirm with the agency itself before your test.

The board's own exam content outline

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All 60 questions

Nutrition 12

  • A diet order reads "clear liquid." Which item fits the order as MedlinePlus describes that diet? MedlinePlus, Clear liquid diet and Full liquid diet; outline Domain 1.B.2.a
  • A dietary manager teaches carbohydrate counting. One carbohydrate serving is 15 grams. A snack with 45 grams of carbohydrate counts as how many servings? MedlinePlus, Counting carbohydrates; outline Domain 1.C.1
  • A new resident arrives at 2 p.m. on Monday. By when must the facility develop the baseline care plan? 42 CFR 483.21(a)(1); outline Domain 1.A.1.c
  • A product is labeled "low sodium." Under 21 CFR 101.61, how much sodium may a typical serving (reference amount) contain? 21 CFR 101.61(b); outline Domain 1.B.1.b
  • A resident is admitted to a nursing facility on June 1. Under 42 CFR 483.20, the comprehensive assessment, which covers nutritional status, is due within how long? 42 CFR 483.20(b)(1)(xi) and (b)(2)(i); outline Domain 1.A.1
  • A resident on an ordered diet says she no longer wants to follow it. Which resident right in 42 CFR 483.10 applies? 42 CFR 483.10(c)(6) and 483.60(c)(7); outline Domain 1.A.3.c
  • A resident with celiac disease has a gluten-free diet order. Which grain must stay off the tray? MedlinePlus, Celiac disease - nutritional considerations; outline Domain 1.B.3.c
Show all 60 questions (53 more)

Nutrition, continued

  • A resident's usual weight is 160 lb. Six months later the record shows 148 lb, with no known reason. What percent of usual body weight was lost? MedlinePlus, Weight loss - unintentional; outline Domain 1.A.1.d
  • A supplement label lists 10 g protein, 30 g total carbohydrate and 5 g fat. Using the general factors of 4, 4 and 9 calories per gram, how many calories is that? 21 CFR 101.9(c)(1)(i); outline Domain 1.B.1.b
  • The comprehensive assessment is completed on March 10. The comprehensive care plan must be developed within how many days after that? 42 CFR 483.21(b)(2)(i); outline Domain 1.B.3
  • In a nursing facility, who must prescribe a therapeutic diet unless that task has been delegated? 42 CFR 483.60(e); outline Domain 1.B.2
  • Which of these must be on the interdisciplinary team that prepares a resident's comprehensive care plan? 42 CFR 483.21(b)(2)(ii)(D) and 483.60(b); outline Domain 1.B.1.c

Foodservice 13

  • A kettle holds 5 gallons of soup. A gallon is 128 fluid ounces. How many 8-fluid-ounce portions does the batch yield? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 2.B.1 (yield of a standardized recipe); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • A recipe needs 12 lb of trimmed, ready-to-cook carrots. Whole carrots give a 75% yield after trimming. How many pounds should be purchased? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 2.B.2 (compute portions using food charts); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • A resident looks at the baked fish on the tray and says he will not eat it. What does 42 CFR 483.60(d)(5) require the facility to provide? 42 CFR 483.60(d)(5); outline Domain 2.C.4
  • A resident with a weak grip cannot hold a standard fork. Under 42 CFR 483.60(g), what must the facility do? 42 CFR 483.60(g); outline Domain 2.E
  • A standardized recipe yields 48 portions and calls for 6 lb of ground turkey. How much turkey is needed for 120 portions? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 2.B.2 (compute portions); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • A tray audit checks 150 trays against the diet orders and finds 3 with an error. What is the tray accuracy rate? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 2.E.1.b (verify diet accuracy) and 2.F.3 (monitor quality indicators); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • Besides nutritional needs, what must a nursing facility's menus reflect under 42 CFR 483.60(c)(4)? 42 CFR 483.60(c)(4); outline Domain 2.A.3
  • The census is 120. Production records show that 85% of residents take the main entree when this menu day comes up. How many portions of it should the production sheet forecast? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 2.D.2 (forecast menus, diet census and production sheets); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • The cooking step of a standardized recipe for ground beef patties should state which minimum temperature and time from the FDA Food Code 2022? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-401.11(A); outline Domain 2.B.3
  • How often must a nursing facility's quality assessment and assurance committee meet, at a minimum? 42 CFR 483.75(g)(2)(i); outline Domain 2.F
  • The ingredients of a standardized recipe cost $86.40 in all, and the recipe yields 48 portions. What is the food cost of one portion? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 2.B.4 (calculate cost of standardized recipes); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • Supper is served at 5:00 p.m. and breakfast at 7:30 a.m. the next day. What makes this 14.5-hour span acceptable under 42 CFR 483.60(f)? 42 CFR 483.60(f)(2); outline Domain 2.A.2
  • Who must review a nursing facility's menus for nutritional adequacy? 42 CFR 483.60(c)(6); outline Domain 2.A.1

Personnel and communications 12

  • A cook who is paid $18.00 an hour works 46 hours in one workweek. With overtime at one and one-half times the regular rate past 40 hours, what is the gross pay? 29 CFR 778.101 and 778.107; outline Domain 3.F.2
  • A dietary aide asks for FMLA leave. Which set of facts makes the aide an eligible employee under 29 CFR 825.110? 29 CFR 825.110(a); outline Domain 3.F.2
  • A dietary manager asks medical records for resident information to prepare a diet census report, not for treatment. What does the HIPAA Privacy Rule expect of the request? 45 CFR 164.502(b); outline Domain 3.G.3.c
  • A director of food and nutrition services meets the certification requirement. What else does 42 CFR 483.60(a)(2)(iii) require? 42 CFR 483.60(a)(2)(iii); outline Domain 3.G.3.b
  • A new dishwasher starts work on Monday. By when must the employer complete Section 2 of Form I-9? 8 CFR 274a.2(b)(1)(ii); outline Domain 3.B.1
  • A nursing facility's last standard survey ended on January 15. What is the latest the next standard survey may be conducted under 42 CFR 488.308? 42 CFR 488.308(a) and (b)(1); outline Domain 3.G.1.a
  • A nursing facility's qualified dietitian works two days a week as a consultant. What must the facility do under 42 CFR 483.60(a)(2)? 42 CFR 483.60(a)(2); outline Domain 3.A
  • After a survey, a nursing facility is cited for a deficiency that caused actual harm. What is a "plan of correction" as 42 CFR 488.401 defines it? 42 CFR 488.401 and 488.402(d); outline Domain 3.G.1.b
  • An eligible cook needs leave for her own serious health condition. How much FMLA leave is she entitled to in a 12-month period? 29 CFR 825.200(a) and (f); outline Domain 3.F.2
  • The kitchen switches to a new oven cleaner with a hazard the staff has not been trained on. When does OSHA's Hazard Communication standard require training? 29 CFR 1910.1200(h)(1); outline Domain 3.C.2.a
  • The weekly schedule for the dietary department adds up to 280 paid hours. Counting 40 hours a week as one full-time equivalent, how many FTEs is that? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 3.D.1 (calculate full time equivalents); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • Which of these is one of the listed qualifications for a director of food and nutrition services in 42 CFR 483.60(a)(2)(i)? 42 CFR 483.60(a)(2)(i); outline Domain 3.A.2

Sanitation and safety 14

  • A cook reports for the morning shift and says he was vomiting during the night from a stomach illness. What does the FDA Food Code 2022 direct the person in charge to do? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-201.12(A); outline Domain 4.A.7
  • A daughter brings her father a container of homemade soup to keep in the unit refrigerator. What does 42 CFR 483.60(i)(3) require of the facility? 42 CFR 483.60(i)(3); outline Domain 4.A.1
  • A delivery of sliced deli turkey arrives. The probe thermometer reads 46°F. What does the FDA Food Code 2022 say about receiving it? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-202.11(A); outline Domain 4.B.11
  • A HACCP plan says baked chicken must reach 165°F. The cook finds a pan at 150°F and returns it to the oven until it reaches 165°F. Which HACCP principle is that step? FDA Food Code 2022, Annex 4, the seven HACCP principles; outline Domain 4.C.6 and 4.C.7
  • A nursing home resident asks for a soft-cooked egg with a runny yolk, made from an unpasteurized shell egg. What does the FDA Food Code 2022 say where a highly susceptible population is served? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-801.11(C); outline Domain 4.C.1
  • A pot of cooked chili is at 135°F when cooling starts. Under the FDA Food Code 2022, how long may it take to reach 70°F? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.14(A); outline Domain 4.C.5.b
  • A satellite kitchen has a stationary rack, single temperature dish machine that sanitizes with hot water. What is the lowest allowed temperature of its sanitizing rinse under the FDA Food Code 2022? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-501.112(A); outline Domain 4.D.8
  • Cases of canned vegetables are stacked on dunnage racks in the dry storeroom. How far above the floor must food be stored under the FDA Food Code 2022? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-305.11(A); outline Domain 4.B.9
  • Egg salad is made on the 3rd and held at 41°F. Counting the day of preparation as Day 1, what is the last day it may be served under the FDA Food Code 2022? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-501.17(A); outline Domain 4.B.8
  • How long must the whole handwashing procedure for a food employee last under the FDA Food Code 2022? FDA Food Code 2022, 2-301.12; outline Domain 4.A.5
  • Pots are sanitized by hand in the third sink with hot water and no chemical. What does the FDA Food Code 2022 require? FDA Food Code 2022, 4-501.111 and 4-703.11(A); outline Domain 4.D.8
  • Raw shell eggs must be received in refrigerated equipment that holds what ambient air temperature under the FDA Food Code 2022? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-202.11(C); outline Domain 4.B.11
  • Where must the safety data sheets for the kitchen's cleaning chemicals be kept under 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8)? 29 CFR 1910.1200(g)(8); outline Domain 4.A.6
  • Yesterday's roast gravy was cooked and cooled in the facility. To put it back on the steam table, it must be reheated so that all parts reach what? FDA Food Code 2022, 3-403.11(A) and 3-501.16(A); outline Domain 4.C.5.b

Business operations 9

  • A catering plate has a food cost of $1.47. To keep food cost at 30% of the selling price, what should the plate sell for? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 5.E.3 (calculate cost to set prices for retail and catering); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • A new dish machine costs $9,000 and is expected to save $3,000 a year in labor, water and chemicals. What is the simple payback period? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 5.B.3 and 5.B.4 (evaluate and propose capital expenditures); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • Food cost per patient day (PPD) is food cost divided by patient days. A month's food cost is $27,900 and the census adds up to 3,100 patient days. What is the food cost PPD? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 5.A.4 (calculate daily cost PPD); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • In one week the department uses 600 labor hours to serve 4,800 meals. How many labor minutes is that per meal? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 5.A.5 (minutes per meal, meals per labor hour); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • Inventory turnover is the cost of food used divided by average inventory. Opening inventory is $6,000, closing inventory is $4,000 and food used cost $20,000. What is the turnover for the month? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 5.D.7 (inventory management practices); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • The monthly food budget is $30,000. Actual food cost is $31,500. How does actual cost compare with the budget? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 5.F.3 (report variance of actual costs vs. budget); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • Opening food inventory is $8,200, purchases for the month are $21,500 and closing inventory is $7,700. What was the cost of food used? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 5.D.7 (inventory management practices); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • The par stock for canned peaches is 24 cases. The storeroom count shows 9 cases on hand. How many cases should be ordered to return to par? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 5.D.5 (check inventory to identify purchase needs) and 5.D.7 (par stock); arithmetic on the numbers in the question
  • The petty cash fund is set at $200.00. An audit finds $62.50 in cash and receipts that add up to $131.50. What does the audit show? CBDM Exam Content Outline, Domain 5.E.1 (manage and audit cash activities, petty cash); arithmetic on the numbers in the question

How this list was compiled: Our own questions, written to the five domains of the CDM, CFPP Exam Content Outline of the Certifying Board for Dietary Managers (effective 03-01-2025; https://www.cbdmonline.org/exam-prep/exam-content-outline, read 2026-10-07): Nutrition 20%, Foodservice 22%, Personnel and Communications 20%, Sanitation and Safety 24%, Business Operations 14%. The bank holds 12, 13, 12, 14 and 9. Facts were read on 2026-10-07 in the Code of Federal Regulations at ecfr.gov (42 CFR part 483 and part 488, 29 CFR parts 778, 825 and 1910, 8 CFR 274a.2, 21 CFR part 101, 45 CFR 164.502; text up to date as of 2026-10-05), in the FDA Food Code 2022 (https://www.fda.gov/food/fda-food-code/food-code-2022; no provision used here is among those the FDA lists as changed in the 2026 edition) and in MedlinePlus, each named under its question. Twenty answers are arithmetic on the numbers printed in the question. Licence: Questions, choices and explanations are original work of this site. Short quoted phrases are from federal regulations and the FDA Food Code, which are public documents.

How it works

This free certified dietary manager practice test has 60 questions of our own in the five CDM, CFPP domains. It is unofficial and not affiliated with the Certifying Board for Dietary Managers or the Association of Nutrition & Foodservice Professionals.

Read the full guide

What the exam covers

The CDM, CFPP Credentialing Exam is 20% nutrition, 22% foodservice, 20% personnel and communications, 24% sanitation and safety and 14% business operations, by the board's exam content outline effective March 1, 2025, read October 7, 2026. This bank holds 12, 13, 12, 14 and 9.

Timing

Exam mode asks 40 questions in 45 minutes, a quarter of the real exam at the same pace.

Where the answers come from

Each answer names the rule it was read in, such as 42 CFR 483.60 on nursing facility food service or the FDA Food Code 2022. Twenty are worked calculations: yields, food cost, staffing.

  • The board scores an unanswered question as incorrect and has no penalty for guessing, so answer every one.

Questions and answers

Is this the real CDM, CFPP exam?

No. Every question is our own, written from the board's published outline and from public rules. None is copied or reworded from the credentialing exam or from the study materials sold for it, and a score here does not predict a result there.

How many questions are on the certified dietary manager exam?

160 multiple-choice questions in three hours. 140 are scored and 20 are unscored pretest questions, by the exam content outline of the Certifying Board for Dietary Managers.

Is there a free practice test for certified dietary manager candidates?

This one is free. Each question shows the right answer, a short reason and its source. Print, on the score card, makes a paper copy; tick With answer key to add the key.

What is a passing score on the CDM certification exam?

The board's scoring page says the score report shows Pass or Fail. This page reports the number right and gives no pass or fail.

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