ServSafe Manager Preparation and Cooking Practice Test
Content area 4 of the ServSafe Manager exam · 15 of the 80 scored questions (18.75%)
90 questions across all seven content areas in 2 hours, with a score for every area so you know where you stand.
Free preparation and cooking drill- 65 original preparation and cooking questions, every option explained
- Written to the FDA Food Code and ServSafe’s 2021 blueprint
French fries are cooked in the same oil used to fry breaded shrimp. Why is this a problem?
Safe Preparation and Cooking of Food on the ServSafe Manager exam
Safe preparation and cooking is the largest area: 15 of the 80 scored questions. It tests the numbers and procedures that destroy pathogens and stop them from growing: thawing, cooking to the right internal temperature, cooling in two stages, reheating, and keeping raw food away from ready-to-eat food.
- Share of the exam
- 15 of the 80 scored questions (18.75%), from ServSafe’s 2021 blueprint
- Our drill
- 10 questions from 65 preparation and cooking questions, untimed, an explanation after every answer; one free attempt, unlimited with a pass
What preparation and cooking questions test
- Thawing in the refrigerator, under running water at 70°F or below, in a microwave before cooking, or as part of cooking
- Minimum internal cooking temperatures: poultry and stuffed foods 165°F, ground meat 155°F for 17 seconds, seafood and steaks 145°F for 15 seconds, roasts 145°F for 4 minutes, plant foods for hot holding 135°F
- Cooling from 135°F to 70°F in 2 hours and to 41°F within 6 hours in total, and the approved cooling methods
- Reheating for hot holding to 165°F for 15 seconds within 2 hours
- Thermometers: types, where to probe, calibration and accuracy
- Allergen-safe prep, consumer advisories, highly susceptible populations and processes that need a variance or HACCP plan
Sit the full exam under the real clock
90 questions across all seven content areas in 2 hours, with a score for every area so you know where you stand.
Free preparation and cooking drillHow to study it
- Learn the cooking temperatures as groups by number (165, 155, 145, 135) rather than food by food.
- Work cooling-timeline questions on paper: a food that reaches 70°F early carries the saved time into the second stage.
- Take the temperatures drill until every number comes without thinking.
Common questions
How many preparation and cooking questions are on the exam?
Safe preparation and cooking of food is 18.75% of the blueprint: 15 of the 80 scored questions, the largest content area.
What if food has not cooled to 70°F within 2 hours?
Under the Food Code, it must be reheated to 165°F for 15 seconds and the cooling started again, or thrown away.
90 questions across all seven content areas in 2 hours, with a score for every area so you know where you stand.
Free preparation and cooking drillMore ServSafe Manager practice
- Management of Food Safety Practices
- Hygiene and Health
- Safe Receipt, Storage, Transportation and Disposal of Food
- Safe Service and Display of Food
- Cleanliness and Sanitation
- Facilities and Equipment
- ServSafe Temperature Chart and Practice Questions
- Food Protection Manager Practice Test
- ServSafe Manager practice exam (90 questions)
Sources
- ServSafe: ServSafe Manager (ANAB-CFP accreditation, test options)
- ServSafe: Exam Development FAQs (80 operational + 10 pilot items, blueprint from the 2021 Job Task Analysis)
- ServSafe Knowledge Center: passing scores (Food Protection Manager 70%)
- ServSafe Knowledge Center: number of questions on ServSafe exams
- ServSafe: Online Proctor Exam Instructions (2-hour time limit, retest policy, equipment)
- ServSafe Knowledge Center: Food Protection Manager retest policy
- ServSafe Knowledge Center: how long ServSafe certificates are valid
- ServSafe: ServSafe Manager Exam (Online Proctor), $99.00
- FDA Food Code (2026 edition and summary of changes; 2022 edition)
Original practice questions for exam preparation, written to the FDA Food Code and ServSafe’s published exam blueprint; they are not the official exam questions. Independent practice, not affiliated with or endorsed by the National Restaurant Association, ServSafe, NRFSP, StateFoodSafety, 360training or ANAB. ServSafe is a registered trademark of the National Restaurant Association.