Ace the Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) Exam 2026 – Fuel Your Future with Confidence!

Centralized meal service is characterized primarily by the preparation and portioning of food at a single, central location. This streamlining approach allows for consistency in quality and portion sizes, which can enhance efficiency and reduce food waste. The meals, once prepared, are then distributed to designated service areas where they are served.

In this context, one unique aspect of centralized meal service is that food portioning is typically done at this central location rather than at multiple sites. By concentrating food portioning in one area, the service can maintain tighter control over volume and quality, which is a fundamental principle of this service model. Thus, the notion that food portioning occurs at multiple sites does not align with the characteristics of a centralized meal service.