RD Exam Plan

Management of Food and Nutrition Programs and Services: practice questions

4 original questions · 4 editor-approved · every choice explained.

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Blueprint-mapped questions with full rationales for every choice.

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Management of Food and Nutrition Programs and ServicesDifficulty 2/5

What distinguishes a job description from a job specification?

  1. AA description lists duties; a specification lists the qualifications required
  2. BA description lists qualifications; a specification lists the duties performed
  3. CA description is used for hiring; a specification is used for performance review
  4. DA description is written by human resources; a specification is written by staff
Show answer and rationale

Correct: A. A job description sets out the duties and responsibilities of the role. A job specification sets out the knowledge, skills, experience and credentials a person needs to perform it.

  • B — The definitions are reversed.
  • C — Both are used across hiring and evaluation.
  • D — Authorship does not define the documents.
Management of Food and Nutrition Programs and ServicesDifficulty 3/5

Meals produced fall by 12% while labour cost falls by 4%. How should this variance be interpreted?

  1. AFavourably, because labour spending came in under the budgeted amount
  2. BUnfavourably, because productivity fell: meals per labour hour declined
  3. CNeutrally, because both volume and cost moved in the same direction
  4. DFavourably, because a smaller volume should always reduce labour cost
Show answer and rationale

Correct: B. Labour cost fell proportionally less than volume, so each meal now consumes more labour. Meals per labour hour — the productivity measure — has worsened despite the lower absolute spend.

  • A — Spending less while producing far less is not efficiency.
  • C — The sizes of the movements differ, which is precisely the finding.
  • D — The proportional relationship is what matters, not the direction.
Management of Food and Nutrition Programs and ServicesDifficulty 3/5

A department wants to reduce late tray delivery. Which action best reflects continuous quality improvement?

  1. AMove the meal service time later so that trays are no longer recorded late
  2. BIssue a memo reminding staff that trays must leave the kitchen on time
  3. CMeasure current delivery times, test one change and re-measure the effect
  4. DAdd a second supervisor to observe the tray line during every service
Show answer and rationale

Correct: C. Quality improvement is a measured cycle: establish the baseline, change one variable, measure again and act on the result. Reminders, added supervision and redefining the standard do not test a change.

  • B — A memo is an instruction, not a measured intervention.
  • D — Extra supervision adds cost without testing a cause.
  • A — Moving the standard hides the problem instead of improving it.
Management of Food and Nutrition Programs and ServicesDifficulty 2/5

A manager compares actual meal service times against the department standard and corrects deviations. Which management function is this?

  1. AControlling, because performance is measured against a standard
  2. BOrganising, because staff and resources are being coordinated
  3. CLeading, because staff behaviour is being influenced directly
  4. DPlanning, because standards are being applied to daily operations
Show answer and rationale

Correct: A. Controlling is measuring actual performance against standards and taking corrective action. Planning sets the standard, organising arranges resources, and leading influences people.

  • D — Planning establishes the standard rather than enforcing it.
  • B — Organising concerns structure and resource allocation.
  • C — Leading concerns motivation and direction of people.

Primary references

  1. Registered Dietitian Examination Test Specifications, January 1 2022 – December 31 2026 — Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) · primary · retrieved 2026-09-22, verified 2026-09-22