Certified
Food Protection Manager

4.9

(8,337 reviews)

$99.95

Gold Package

$119.95

Diamond Package

$69.95

Exam Only

$49.95

Training Only

* Diamond Package – In order to qualify for the Free Retest, you must complete the ENTIRE online training and sample tests BEFORE taking the initial Food Manager exam. The 1 free retest must be taken within 6 months of not passing the first time. All other retests will be $69.95.

100% Online, Accessible 24 hours a Day, 7 Days a Week
Start, Stop and Resume Training Course as Needed
Course Duration: 4 Hours Exam Duration: 2 Hours
Courses and Exam Expire 1 Year From Purchase Date
Exam Passing Score 70%

ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB) Accredited Food Manager Certification
Print Your Food Manager Certificate Immediately After Passing Your Exam
Group Registrations: Keep Track of All Employees in One Area
Certification Valid for Up to 5 Years
Health Department Approved in All 50 States
Watch a 1 minute video on how to manage your group. Click here
We guarantee approval of the Certified Food Protection Manager Program by the health department.
Please click to view the nationally recognized ANSI accreditation for Food Protection Manager.

Illinois Food Manager Certification – Health Department Approved

Food Manager Certification in Cook County-Online Training & Certification

Our Food Manager Certification Cook County program offers ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB))–accredited online training and exams, accessible anytime for professionals in the Illinois food industry. This ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited certification fulfills the Illinois Department of Public Health requirements to obtain the Certified Food Protection Manager credential and is available in English and Spanish.

OUR CLIENTS

Trusted Food Manager Certification in Cook County: Accredited & Approved

Our ANSI National Accreditation Board (ANAB)-accredited Certified Food Protection Manager certification meets Illinois Department of Public Health requirements and is available for individuals across all cities in Cook County, Illinois. The program is 100% online, offering flexibility to start, stop, and resume training at your convenience.

Key Benefits of AAA Food Manager Certification

PREVENT

Education is the best tool to prevent, minimize, or eliminate food-borne illnesses and food hazards.

AWARENESS

Improve critical thinking and decision-making to avoid or prevent sticky situations in food safety.

ELIMINATE

Gain knowledge to minimize or eliminate foodborne illness risks, ensuring a safer dining experience for all.

MINIMIZE

Recognize and mitigate the risks of improper food safety procedures in your food establishment.

PRODUCTIVITY

Reducing food safety complaints will foster a happier workplace, increasing productivity and fewer disruptions.

WORKPLACE SATISFACTION

Safe food handling practices promote a positive work environment, improving overall satisfaction and morale.

Serving Food Managers Across Cook County

Our online food manager certification program is accessible throughout Cook County, including cities such as:

WHY CHOOSE US

Getting Food Manager Certification Is Quick and Hassle-Free

Numerous professionals nationwide have already earned and renewed their card with AAA Food Handler — a trusted name in food safety training.

Know Before You Train

What Are the Food Manager Requirements and Compliance Rules in Cook County?

Every Food Establishment in Cook County must mandatorily have one Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) present whenever food is prepared or served. This ensures that safety practices are supervised by a trained professional familiar with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) regulations.

The AAA Food Handler’s Food Manager program is ANAB-accredited and fully recognized by both IDPH and Cook County authorities. The certification you earn through this program also meets requirements in the City of Chicago and other Cook County municipalities. Once certified, managers are responsible for maintaining sanitary operations, overseeing employee hygiene, and preventing foodborne illness risks across all business locations.

How Does the Online Training and Exam Process Work?

AAA Food Handler provides a fully online Food Manager training and exam, designed for flexibility and convenience. You can complete the program from any location, from a computer or laptop equipped with a microphone, webcam and consistent internet access

The course includes structured modules on personal hygiene, time and temperature control, cross-contamination prevention, cleaning and sanitizing, and foodborne illness management. Each section includes interactive quizzes to reinforce learning.

How Long is the Food Manager Certification Valid, and What Should I Know About Renewal?

Certification holds for five years from the date of issue. To remain compliant, you must renew your certification before it expires by retaking an approved exam.

AAA Food Handler allows you to renew within the final six months of your certification period to avoid interruptions in compliance. Cook County does not offer a grace period after expiration, meaning employers could face violations if a certified manager is not present during business hours.

Renewing early ensures continuous compliance and keeps your establishment inspection-ready under Cook County’s food safety standards.

How Can Food Manager Certification Improve My Job and Career Opportunities?

Becoming a Certified Food Manager demonstrates your leadership, responsibility, and knowledge of safe food handling—qualities employers value across Cook County’s food industry. Certified professionals often qualify for higher positions and greater job security in restaurants, catering services, schools, and healthcare facilities.

Your certification is valid across multiple locations under the same ownership within Cook County. However, each establishment must still have a certified manager on-site during hours of operation.

Employers can easily verify your certification online using the AAA Food Handler’s verification portal or by presenting your certificate to health inspectors when required.

What is the Learning Experience Like with AAA Food Handler?

The Food Manager program is designed for all experience levels, from first-time learners to seasoned food service professionals. The course uses clear explanations and real-world examples to make learning engaging and easy to understand.

Learners receive practice quizzes after each module to assess readiness before attempting the final exam. Throughout the process, AAA Food Handler offers live chat and email support for registration, technical help, or course guidance.

The result is a streamlined learning experience that builds confidence, strengthens compliance knowledge, and prepares you for real-world food safety management.

What Options are Available for Business and Group Training?

AAA Food Handler offers bulk enrollment and management options for restaurants, hospitality groups, and corporate food service operations in Cook County. Employers can register multiple staff members, track completion rates, and download certificates for compliance documentation—all from a single dashboard.

Automatic bulk discounts apply to groups of 30 students or more, offering greater savings for larger groups. This makes it cost-effective for multi-location operators to maintain all staff at the same level of training and certification.

Managers can also track employee progress and certification status in real time, ensuring their team remains compliant with local health requirements at all times.

How Does Food Manager Certification Help Improve Food Safety and Public Health?

Certified Food Managers are essential for maintaining safe operations and preventing foodborne illnesses. The AAA Food Handler course teaches best practices for temperature control, personal hygiene, cleaning, sanitizing, and preventing contamination—all critical to maintaining public safety.

The training also includes a dedicated section on food allergen management, helping managers understand how to prevent cross-contact and communicate allergen information to customers safely.

Common health code violations—like improper holding temperatures or inadequate sanitizing—are addressed in detail, empowering certified managers to identify and correct risks before inspections occur.

How Do I Manage My Certificate, Verification, and Documentation?

After completing the exam, you can instantly download and print your certificate from your AAA Food Handler account. Digital copies are stored for future access, making verification simple during health inspections.

Employers and inspectors can also verify authenticity through the online verification portal or by scanning the QR code printed directly on your certificate.

This digital verification system ensures accuracy, authenticity, and convenience for both employees and businesses in Cook County.

What Technical and Accessibility Features Does AAA Food Handler Provide?

The AAA Food Handler course takes approximately 4 hours to complete, and the exam lasts about 2 hours. Training is self-paced, available 24/7, and can be paused and resumed at your convenience—making it ideal for busy professionals.

Excellent training

November 18, 2025

Excellent training and informative.

Editha I.

No Title

excellent class very informative trainginh

Informative

November 17, 2025

I recently completed the Food Manager Certification course, and it exceeded my expectations. The course was interactive, informative, and engaging, making it easy to stay focused throughout. The material was presented in a clear and concise manner, with real-world examples that made the information easy to understand and apply. Overall, the course was well-prepared, highly organized, and professionally delivered. I would definitely recommend it to anyone seeking a solid foundation in food safety and management.

LaShonda W.

Laura

Amazing training experience

This course was self paced, easy to learn, and beneficial. I recommend to anyone that needs to get their certification .

Roger U.

Vy N.

Easy to follow, quick

This program was easy to follow and easy to pass.

Shara

Very well organized training

Bradford

very well explained,

Lou A.

Great quality easy to use

Was able to complete on my time

Ashley

November 16, 2025

This is a great training all the way around. It is long and a little arduous, but well worth it. It is very informative and simple to understand. The training is divided into 10 sessions, each of which is further broken down into various sections. These sections are very straightforward. Very easy to take notes and follow through. The only negative thing I have to say is that if you miss something being said, you can’t scroll backwards; you have to repeat that lesson of that section.

Hilton

Covered a wide range of concepts in a way that was easy to understand

Timothy F.

Thorough but needs work

I found the course to be standard in almost all the information provided however, particularly at the earlier points in the course, I found several instances of information that should have been taught concurrently was split up. This non-linear dissemination made written note taking quite problematic and impeded what could be a more natural flow throughout the lessons. The topic that this was most prevalent in was the discussion of Bio Hazards including discussion of various pathogens. I specifically recall a lesson review with questions regarding Trichinella and Shiga Toxin when they had not yet been covered in the course. Immediately following that review section, those topics were then covered. Outside of those issues I found the course to be rather buggy. I used an iPad A16 (2025) with the latest software update as of today 11/16/25. Also as a note, it would be very helpful to rewind each video along the slider bar to a specific point rather than having to replay the entire video.

Christopher T.

Fast, Informative, Efficient

Good Stuff!

Josh

Times and Tempertures

It was an easy and Interesting course. I learned things I did not know .

Happy P.

Importance of keep food safe.

The importance of keep food safe to avoid any outbreak. The importance of keeping the food facilities clean and safe. The importance of give training to your staff and record and report everything. The importance of times and temperatures in a food facility.

Miriam B.

Easy to understand!

November 15, 2025

I like how the course simplify things!

Lea

Concise information

Simple yet effective information

Bingxin W.

Very helpful.

Learned a lot.

Waleed A.

Adequate information, frustrating interface at times

November 14, 2025

All the information was good and it presented what it said I needed to know for the exam. It was frustrating not to be able to rewind or jump back within a module. There were many times I missed a little bit of what was said or was taking notes and needed to restart an entire module because I missed a single sentence.

Talia F.