Privacy Policy

Mealoza.com (“we,” “us,” “our,” or “Site”) is committed to protecting your privacy. This Privacy Policy explains what information we collect, how we use it, how we protect it, and your rights regarding your personal data. By accessing and using Mealoza, you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with our practices, please do not use our Site.

1. Information We Collect

Information You Provide Directly

Newsletter Subscriptions: When you subscribe to our newsletter, we collect your email address and optionally your name. This information is used solely for sending you recipe updates, cooking tips, and Mealoza news. We use MailChimp (MC4WP) to manage our email list. Your email is never shared with third parties for marketing purposes.

Contact Forms: When you submit our contact form, we collect the information you provide, including name, email address, phone number (if provided), and message content. This information is used to respond to your inquiry and is not shared with third parties.

Comments & User Content: If you leave comments on recipes or pages, we collect your name and email address (not displayed publicly) along with your comment text. Comments may be moderated before publication.

Information Collected Automatically

Cookies & Tracking Technologies: We use cookies and similar tracking technologies to enhance your browsing experience. This includes cookies for site functionality, user preferences, and analytics. You can control cookie preferences through your browser settings.

Analytics & Log Data: We use Google Analytics to understand how visitors interact with our Site. This includes information about your browser type, IP address (anonymized), pages visited, time spent on pages, and referring website. This data helps us improve Site content and user experience. Google Analytics data is subject to Google’s privacy policy.

Device Information: We may collect information about your device, including device type, operating system, and browser type to optimize Site performance and security.

2. How We Use Your Information

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• Delivering newsletter content and recipe updates to subscribed users
• Responding to inquiries and support requests via contact forms
• Improving Site functionality, performance, and user experience
• Analyzing usage patterns to create better content
• Preventing fraud, abuse, and security issues
• Complying with legal obligations and regulations
• Creating aggregated, anonymized reports about Site usage
• Sending transactional emails (password resets, subscription confirmations)
• Personalizing your experience on the Site (where applicable)

3. Third-Party Services & Data Sharing

We do not sell or share your personal information with third parties for marketing purposes. However, we use the following third-party services that may process your data:

MailChimp (MC4WP): We use MailChimp to manage our email newsletter. When you subscribe, your email address is sent to MailChimp’s servers. MailChimp has its own privacy policy and uses industry-standard security measures. You can unsubscribe from our newsletter at any time.

Google Analytics: We use Google Analytics to track Site usage. Google may use your data for its own purposes according to its privacy policy. You can opt out of Google Analytics tracking through Google’s browser extension or your browser privacy settings.

Contact Form 7: If you use our contact form, responses are processed through Contact Form 7 and may be stored on our server. We do not share form submissions with external parties.

Affiliate Partners: We may use affiliate programs (such as Amazon Associates, Williams-Sonoma, etc.). When you click affiliate links, you may be tracked by our partners according to their privacy policies. We are not responsible for third-party affiliate partner practices.

Legal Compliance: We may disclose personal information when required by law, court order, or government request, or when necessary to protect our legal rights and prevent fraud.

4. Cookies & Tracking Technologies

Cookies are small text files stored on your device that help us remember your preferences and analyze Site usage. We use:

Essential Cookies: Required for basic Site functionality (login, security, form submission)
Analytics Cookies: Track usage patterns to improve our content and user experience
Preference Cookies: Remember your choices and settings
Advertising Cookies: May be used by affiliate partners to track conversions

Most browsers allow you to control cookies through settings. You can delete existing cookies and prevent future cookies. However, disabling cookies may affect Site functionality.

5. Data Security

We take reasonable measures to protect your personal information from unauthorized access, alteration, or destruction. These include SSL encryption for data transmission, secure server hosting, and access controls. However, no security measure is completely foolproof. While we strive to protect your information, we cannot guarantee absolute security. You are responsible for maintaining the confidentiality of any passwords or access information.

If we discover a security breach affecting your personal information, we will notify you as required by law.

6. Data Retention

We retain personal information only as long as necessary for the purposes outlined in this Privacy Policy. Specific retention periods:

Newsletter Subscribers: Until you unsubscribe
Contact Form Submissions: Retained for 24-36 months for customer service purposes
Comments: Retained as long as the associated recipe is published
Analytics Data: Google Analytics retains data for 26 months by default
Cookies: Vary by type; most expire within 1-2 years

You may request deletion of your personal information at any time by contacting us.

7. Your Privacy Rights (GDPR & CCPA)

For Residents of the European Union (GDPR)

If you are located in the EU, you have the following rights under the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR):

Right to Access: Request a copy of the personal data we hold about you
Right to Rectification: Correct inaccurate or incomplete information
Right to Erasure: Request deletion of your personal data (“Right to be Forgotten”)
Right to Restrict Processing: Limit how we use your data
Right to Data Portability: Receive your data in a portable format
Right to Object: Opt-out of certain data processing activities
Right to Lodge a Complaint: File a complaint with your local data protection authority

To exercise any of these rights, please contact us at contact@mealoza.com with your request. We will respond within 30 days.

For Residents of California (CCPA)

If you are a California resident, you have rights under the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA):

Right to Know: Request what personal information we collect about you
Right to Delete: Request deletion of your personal information
Right to Opt-Out: Opt-out of the sale of personal information (we do not sell personal information)
Right to Non-Discrimination: We will not discriminate against you for exercising your rights

To submit a CCPA request, email contact@mealoza.com. We will verify your identity and respond within 45 days.

8. Children’s Privacy

Mealoza is not intended for children under 13 years old, and we do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal information, we will delete such information and terminate the child’s account immediately. Parents or guardians who believe their child has provided information to us should contact us at contact@mealoza.com.

9. External Links & Third-Party Sites

Mealoza may contain links to external websites and third-party services. This Privacy Policy applies only to Mealoza.com. We are not responsible for the privacy practices of external sites. Please review the privacy policies of any third-party sites before providing personal information.

10. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy periodically to reflect changes in our practices, technology, or legal requirements. Changes are effective immediately upon posting. We will notify you of significant changes via email or prominent notice on the Site. Your continued use of the Site following changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated Privacy Policy.

11. International Data Transfers

If you are located outside the United States and provide information to us, your data may be transferred to and processed in the United States. By providing information to Mealoza, you consent to such transfer and processing. The United States may not have the same data protection laws as your country of residence.

12. Contact Information

If you have questions, concerns, or requests regarding this Privacy Policy or our privacy practices, please contact us: