Privacy Policy

Welcome to foodrelish.online (“we,” “us,” or “our”), a website dedicated to celebrating the joy of food through recipes, stories, and culinary inspiration. At Food Relish, your privacy is a top priority. We are committed to protecting the personal information you share with us as you explore our site, engage with our content, and connect with our community. This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, disclose, and safeguard your data, ensuring transparency and trust as we grow our platform and pursue partnerships with trusted ad networks like Mediavine.

This policy applies to all visitors, users, and subscribers of foodrelish.online (collectively, “you” or “users”), whether you’re browsing our recipes, signing up for our newsletter, or interacting with us on social media. By accessing or using our website, you agree to the terms outlined in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree, please refrain from using our site. We encourage you to read this document carefully and contact us with any questions.

Our Commitment to Your Privacy

At Food Relish, we believe that privacy is a fundamental right. As a food-focused platform, our mission is to inspire and connect through the love of cooking—not to exploit your personal information. We collect only the data necessary to enhance your experience, deliver relevant content, and sustain our operations as we work toward goals like partnering with Mediavine, a premium ad network that helps us grow while keeping our content free for all. This Privacy Policy is designed to comply with applicable data protection laws, including the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for European Union residents and the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA) for California residents, as well as other regional regulations that may apply.

We aim to be clear and upfront about our practices, balancing our need to collect certain information with your right to understand and control how it’s used. As we scale foodrelish.online to reach more food enthusiasts worldwide, we’re dedicated to maintaining the highest standards of privacy and security.

Information We Collect

We collect two main types of information: personal information you provide directly and non-personal information gathered automatically as you interact with our site. Below, we outline what we collect and why.

2.1 Personal Information

Personal information is any data that can identify you as an individual. We collect this information only when you voluntarily provide it to us, such as when you:

Subscribe to Our Newsletter: When you sign up for our email updates, we collect your email address and, optionally, your name. This allows us to send you recipes, cooking tips, and exclusive content tailored to your interests.
Contact Us: If you reach out via our contact form or email (e.g., hello@foodrelish.online), we may collect your name, email address, and any details you include in your message.
Comment on Our Content: When you leave a comment on a recipe or blog post, we collect your name, email address, and IP address (to prevent spam), along with the comment itself.
Participate in Promotions: If we run contests, giveaways, or surveys, we may collect additional details like your mailing address or preferences, depending on the activity.

We never require more information than is necessary for the specific purpose, and you can always choose not to provide it (though this may limit your ability to use certain features).

Non-Personal Information

We also collect non-personal information automatically through cookies, analytics tools, and third-party services. This data doesn’t directly identify you but helps us understand how our site is used and improve your experience. Examples include:

Browsing Data: Your IP address, browser type, device type, operating system, and the pages you visit on foodrelish.online.
Usage Patterns: Time spent on our site, links clicked, and how you arrived (e.g., via Google, Pinterest, or a social media post).
Location Data: General geographic information (e.g., city or country) derived from your IP address, used to tailor content or ads to your region.

This information is aggregated and anonymized whenever possible, ensuring your privacy while helping us grow our traffic—a key step toward Mediavine eligibility.

How We Collect Information

We use standard technologies to gather data efficiently and securely:

Cookies: Small text files stored on your device that track your preferences and activity on our site. Cookies help us remember your settings, serve relevant ads, and analyze traffic. You can manage cookie preferences through your browser settings (see Section 10 for details).
Analytics Tools: We use services like Google Analytics to monitor site performance, track visitor numbers, and identify popular content. These tools provide insights that fuel our growth strategy.
Third-Party Plugins: Features like social media sharing buttons or embedded Pinterest pins may use cookies or trackers from those platforms (e.g., Facebook, Pinterest). We disclose these in Section 6.
Forms: When you fill out a subscription or contact form, your input is securely transmitted to our servers.

How We Use Your Information

We use the data we collect for specific, legitimate purposes that enhance your experience and support our operations:

To Provide and Improve Our Services: Your email address powers our newsletter, while analytics data helps us optimize recipes and site navigation.
To Personalize Content: We may use your location or browsing habits to recommend seasonal recipes (e.g., hearty soups for winter readers) or trending dishes.
To Communicate with You: We respond to your inquiries, send promotional updates (with your consent), and notify you of policy changes.
To Grow Our Site: Traffic insights guide our SEO and Pinterest strategies, helping us attract more visitors and qualify for Mediavine’s 50,000-session threshold.
To Serve Ads: Once partnered with Mediavine, we’ll use anonymized data to display targeted ads, generating revenue to keep Food Relish free.

We never sell your personal information to third parties. Any sharing is limited to trusted partners who help us operate (see Section 6).

Legal Basis for Processing (GDPR Compliance)

For users in the European Economic Area (EEA), we process personal data based on lawful grounds under the GDPR:

Consent: You opt in to our newsletter or accept cookies via our consent banner.
Legitimate Interest: We analyze usage data to improve our site and grow our audience, balancing this with your privacy rights.
Contractual Necessity: We process your email to deliver services you’ve requested, like updates or responses to inquiries.

You can withdraw consent or exercise your rights at any time (see Section 9).

Sharing Your Information

We work with select third parties to operate foodrelish.online and may share data with them under strict conditions:

Service Providers: Companies like Mailchimp (for email delivery), Google Analytics (for traffic analysis), or our web host process data on our behalf. They’re bound by confidentiality agreements and data protection laws.
Ad Partners: As we pursue Mediavine partnership, their ad technology will use anonymized data to serve relevant ads. Mediavine complies with GDPR, CCPA, and industry standards, ensuring your privacy.
Social Media Platforms: Sharing buttons or embedded content from Pinterest, Instagram, etc., may collect data per their own policies (linked on our site).
Legal Obligations: We may disclose data if required by law, such as in response to a court order or to protect our rights.

7. Mediavine Programmatic Advertising

As Food Relish grows toward Mediavine eligibility, we’re preparing to implement their programmatic advertising. Once approved, Mediavine will serve ads on our site, using cookies and tracking technologies to deliver interest-based advertising. This data is anonymized and managed by Mediavine and its partners, who adhere to strict privacy standards. For more details, visit Mediavine’s privacy policy at https://www.mediavine.com/privacy-policy/. You can opt out of personalized ads via tools like the Digital Advertising Alliance (DAA) or Network Advertising Initiative (NAI) (see Section 10).

8. Data Security

We take robust measures to protect your information:

Encryption: Data transmitted via forms or subscriptions is secured with SSL/TLS encryption.
Access Controls: Only authorized team members can access personal data, and we use strong passwords and two-factor authentication.
Third-Party Vetting: Our partners are chosen for their security practices and compliance with data laws.

While no system is 100% secure, we’re committed to minimizing risks and responding promptly to any breaches.

9. Your Rights and Choices

You have control over your data. Depending on your location, your rights may include:

Access: Request a copy of the data we hold about you.
Correction: Ask us to update inaccurate information.
Deletion: Request removal of your data (e.g., unsubscribe from our newsletter).
Opt-Out: Decline personalized ads or tracking (see Section 10).
Portability: Receive your data in a usable format (GDPR-specific).
Object: Challenge our use of your data for legitimate interests.

To exercise these rights, email us at [insert contact email, e.g., privacy@foodrelish.online]. We’ll respond within 30 days (or as required by law). California residents can also invoke CCPA rights, such as “Do Not Sell My Personal Information,” though we don’t currently sell data.

10. Managing Cookies and Tracking

You can control how we track you:

Browser Settings: Disable cookies or enable “Do Not Track” signals (we honor these where applicable).
Opt-Out Tools: Use the DAA’s www.aboutads.info/choices or NAI’s www.networkadvertising.org/choices to limit ad tracking.
Cookie Banner: Adjust preferences when you first visit our site.

Disabling cookies may affect functionality, but core content remains accessible.

11. Children’s Privacy

Food Relish is not intended for children under 13 (or 16 in the EEA). We do not knowingly collect data from minors. If we learn of such data, we’ll delete it promptly. Parents or guardians can contact us to address concerns.

12. Data Retention

We keep personal information only as long as needed:

Newsletter subscribers’ data is retained until you unsubscribe.
Comments and contact form data are kept indefinitely unless you request deletion.
Analytics data is stored in aggregate form for up to 26 months (per Google Analytics defaults).

13. International Data Transfers

Food Relish is hosted in [insert hosting location, e.g., the United States]. If you’re outside this region, your data may be transferred internationally. We ensure compliance with GDPR and other laws through standard contractual clauses or partner safeguards.

14. Changes to This Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy as our site evolves or laws change. Significant updates will be announced via email or a site notice. The “Effective Date” at the top reflects the latest version. Continued use of foodrelish.online after changes implies acceptance.