Is FoodSafePal Legit?

When you need food handler training, it can be difficult to know which companies offering the training are legit or honest.

If you take a food safety training course from a bad source, your health department or employer won’t accept it and you’ll be out the time it took to complete the course along — and possibly the money.

FoodSafePal is one food handler training provider growing in popularity.

However, you may wonder whether this company offers food handler training that your health department and employer will deem valid and accept.

This article discusses everything you need to know about FoodSafePal, including whether the training it offers is legit and trustworthy.

What is FoodSafePal?

FoodSafePal was created in 2022 by Gavin Van De Walle, a registered dietitian and expert in food safety.

Van De Walle created the company with the mission to make food safety training accessible for all foodservice professionals, no matter the work setting.

FoodSafePal launched its first course — food handler training — in late 2023 after it achieved national accreditation. Its food handler training course is maintained with the help of FoodSafePal’s advisory board, which consists of other registered dietitian and foodservice leaders, including certified dietary managers (CDMs).

Unlike other food safety training providers, FoodSafePal has no industry ties and isn’t owned by a group of wealthy investors. Instead, it was bootstrapped and funnels all profits back into the business to expand its course offering and free downloadable food safety content.

FoodSafePal is ANAB-accredited

It can be a red flag when the person writing about whether a company is legit works at the company — it can represent bias and a conflict of interest.

Fortunately, you don’t need to take my word about whether FoodSafePal is legit. Instead, we can look directly at the facts.

FoodSafePal earned accreditation from the ANSI-National Accreditation Board (ANAB) on September 9, 2023. This accreditation is only granted to organizations who meet more than 100 established national standards.

This rigorous third-party review ensures that the food handler program — and the people making up the organization offering it — are credible and competent and their results can be relied upon.

It also ensures that the organization operates with transparency and makes decisions on objective criteria rather than the basis of bias or prejudice.

Because the accreditation process is held to such high standards, most states, counties, and employers that require food handler training require that it be ANAB-accredited.

For example, here are some of the states that require ANAB-accredited food handler training:

• Arizona
• California
• Hawaii
• Illinois
• New Mexico
• Texas
• West Virginia

Thus, because it holds ANAB-accreditation, most places nationwide will deem FoodSafePal’s Food Handler training legit and valid.

In the few places where FoodSafePal’s Food Handler training isn’t accepted, the organization either prevents enrollment or clearly discloses this. By doing this, FoodSafePal has your best interest in mind — not your wallet.

Otherwise, FoodSafePal is approved in other places that have different requirements like Utah. In these instances, we always include a link to the approval letter so you can be confident it’s approved in your area.

How to get your FoodSafePal food handler card

Keeping my opinions on the sideline, I’ve laid out the facts that proves FoodSafePal’s legitimacy.

So, if we’re lucky enough to have you choose us over the other food handler training providers, I’ll explain how quickly and easily you can earn your food handler card and certificate through FoodSafePal.

To get started, simply find your state here and complete the enrollment process. FoodSafePal offers its Food Handler course in English and Spanish.

After enrolling, you can start the course immediately and finish it 75 minutes or less. The course covers important food safety topics, such as good personal hygiene, how to keep food that requires time and temperature safe, and how to prevent cross-contamination and cross contact, among other topics.

The course content will prepare you for the final exam, which consists of 40 multiple-choice questions. Except Utah, where the passing score is 75%, you must answer at least 28 (70%) correctly to pass and earn your food handlers card and certificate.

If you don’t pass the first time, we give you another chance to review the course and take the test.

After you pass, you can immediately download, print, or email your food handlers card and certificate. It will be good for three years, unless you live in Texas, in which you must renew every two years.

Your food handler card will transfer to most other states that have the same ANAB-accreditation requirements, but certain counties have specific requirements that you may have to meet.

The bottom line

Created in 2022, FoodSafePal is a food handler training provider that aims to make food safety training accessible for all, no matter the work setting.

FoodSafePal is legit and nationally accepted since it’s Food Handler training is ANAB-accredited. Some areas have their own food handler training requirements. In these areas, FoodSafePal doesn’t offer training or clearly discloses that it’s not accepted, further contributing to its legitimacy.

If you need to earn your food handlers card, FoodSafePal is a legitimate and valid source. To get started, choose your state and finish the enrollment process. Then, complete the course and use your new knowledge about food safety to pass the test.