Privacy Policy

Effective Date: June 17, 2025

Look, we get it – nobody loves reading privacy policies. But we believe you deserve to know exactly how we handle your information when you visit Simply Taster. We’ll keep this as straightforward as possible.

The Short Version: We collect minimal information to make your Simply Taster experience better – things like remembering if you prefer vegetarian recipes or helping us send you the meal prep guides you actually want. We never sell your data, we’re transparent about what we collect, and we give you control over your information.

Information We Collect

Information You Give Us Directly

When you interact with Simply Taster, you might share:

• Email address – When you sign up for our newsletter, download meal prep guides, or contact us directly
• Name – If you choose to provide it when subscribing or commenting
• Recipe preferences – Dietary restrictions, protein preferences, cooking skill level when you use our recipe filters
• Comments and messages – When you email our team or leave comments on recipes
• Survey responses – If you participate in our reader surveys about content preferences

Information We Collect Automatically

Like most websites, we collect some technical information to improve your experience:

• Basic usage data – Which recipes you view, how long you spend on pages, which links you click
• Device information – Whether you’re on mobile or desktop, browser type, screen size
• Location data – General location (city/state level) to show you relevant content
• Referral source – How you found us (Pinterest, Google search, direct link, etc.)

How We Use Your Information

Here’s exactly what we do with the information we collect:

To Make Simply Taster More Helpful

• Remember your dietary preferences so we can show you relevant recipes
• Send you the weekly meal prep guides and recipe collections you signed up for
• Personalize your experience (like showing more vegetarian options if that’s what you cook)
• Respond to your questions and recipe requests
• Improve our recipes based on your feedback and usage patterns

To Create Better Content

• Understand which recipes are most helpful so we can create similar content
• Track which cooking techniques need better explanations
• Identify trending high protein ingredients or dietary approaches
• Develop new content based on your questions and interests

To Communicate With You

• Send you our weekly newsletter (only if you subscribed)
• Email you meal prep guides, recipe collections, or cooking tips you requested
• Respond to your direct questions to our team members
• Send important updates about recipe corrections or site changes

Data Protection & Security

We take protecting your information seriously. Here’s how:

• Encrypted connections – All data transmission uses SSL encryption
• Secure hosting – Our website and email systems use industry-standard security
• Access controls – Only our core team members can access subscriber information
• Regular updates – We keep our systems updated with the latest security patches
• No unnecessary storage – We don’t keep data we don’t need

That said, no online system is 100% secure. If you’re concerned about sharing sensitive information, you can always contact us at contact@simplytaster.com for alternative communication methods.

Your Rights (GDPR/CCPA Compliant)

You have control over your personal information. Here’s what you can do:

Access Your Data

Want to know what information we have about you? Email daniel.brooks@simplytaster.com and we’ll send you a complete summary within 30 days.

Correct Your Information

Notice something wrong? Just let us know and we’ll fix it immediately. You can update your email preferences anytime through the links in our newsletters.

Delete Your Data

Want to remove your information entirely? We’ll delete everything except what we’re legally required to keep (like financial records). Email us and we’ll take care of it within 30 days.

Control Communications

Unsubscribe from our newsletter anytime using the link in any email, or email rachel.whitaker@simplytaster.com to adjust what you receive.

Data Portability

Want to take your data elsewhere? We can provide your information in a standard format that works with other services.

Cookies & Tracking

We use cookies to make Simply Taster work better for you. Here’s what we track and why:

Essential Cookies

These keep the site functional and remember your basic preferences:

• Login status if you have an account
• Recipe preferences and dietary filters
• Shopping cart items if you’re purchasing meal plans
• Language and accessibility preferences

Analytics Cookies (Google Analytics)

We use Google Analytics to understand how people use Simply Taster:

• Which recipes are most popular
• How people navigate through our content
• What devices and browsers work best
• General location data (city/state level)

You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking using their opt-out browser add-on.

Social Media & Advertising Cookies

We use Pinterest and Instagram pixels to:

• Show relevant Simply Taster recipes in your social feeds
• Track which social posts drive the most helpful traffic
• Retarget visitors with cooking tips and recipe collections

Don’t want cookies? You can disable them in your browser settings, though some features might not work as smoothly. Most browsers also let you delete existing cookies anytime.

Third-Party Services

We work with several trusted partners to make Simply Taster better. Here’s who has access to what:

Email Service (ConvertKit)

We use ConvertKit to send our newsletters and meal prep guides. They store your email address and preferences, but only use them to deliver our content. View ConvertKit’s privacy policy.

Analytics (Google Analytics)

Google Analytics helps us understand how people use our recipes and content. They collect anonymous usage data. View Google’s privacy policy.

Comments System (Disqus)

Our recipe comments are powered by Disqus. When you comment, Disqus handles that data according to their privacy policy. View Disqus privacy policy.

Affiliate Partners

We participate in affiliate programs with cooking equipment and ingredient companies. When you click our affiliate links, those companies may track that you came from Simply Taster, but we don’t share your personal information with them.

Payment Processing (Stripe)

If you purchase meal plans or guides, Stripe processes payments securely. We never see or store your full credit card information. View Stripe’s privacy policy.

Children’s Privacy

Simply Taster is designed for adults (18+) and parents cooking for their families. We don’t knowingly collect information from children under 13. If you’re a parent and believe your child has shared information with us, please contact contact@simplytaster.com immediately and we’ll delete it.

For teens 13-17, we encourage parental involvement in any communication with our team, especially for recipe requests or cooking questions.

International Users

Simply Taster is based in the United States, so your information is stored on US servers. If you’re visiting from outside the US, your data crosses international borders when you use our site.

For European Union visitors: We comply with GDPR requirements and provide all the data rights mentioned above. You can contact our EU representative at gdpr@simplytaster.com.

For California residents: You have additional rights under CCPA, including the right to know what personal information we sell (we don’t) and to opt out of sales (not applicable since we don’t sell data).

Data Retention

Here’s how long we keep different types of information:

• Newsletter subscribers: Until you unsubscribe or request deletion
• Website analytics: 26 months, then automatically deleted
• Email communications: 3 years for customer service purposes
• Comments: Indefinitely (as part of the recipe content), unless you request removal
• Purchase records: 7 years for tax and legal compliance

Changes to This Policy

We’ll update this privacy policy when we add new features or change how we handle data. When we make significant changes, we’ll:

• Email our newsletter subscribers about important updates
• Post a notice on our homepage for 30 days
• Update the “Last Updated” date at the top of this page
• Keep previous versions available if you want to see what changed

Minor updates (like fixing typos or adding clarification) won’t trigger notifications, but we’ll still update the date.

Contact for Privacy Concerns

Questions about this privacy policy or how we handle your information? We’re here to help:

We typically respond to privacy requests within 48 hours and complete data requests within 30 days. If you’re not satisfied with our response, you have the right to file a complaint with your local data protection authority.