Privacy Policy.
Last updated October 26, 2026
The short version
Ad-Free Cook has no ads, no tracking pixels and no Google Analytics. The only thing I count is how many people visit, and that count stays private. I don’t sell or rent your information, and I don’t share it with advertisers. I only keep what I need to send you the newsletter you signed up for and to show the notes you leave on recipes.
Who runs this site
Ad-Free Cook is run by me, Shan. You can reach me by mail at 2108 N St Ste N, Sacramento, CA 95816.
Counting visits
So I can see how many people visit, the site counts page views itself. Each time a page loads, it notes which page it was and which website sent you there (like Pinterest or Google), and adds that to a daily total.
The counter doesn’t use cookies, doesn’t store your internet address, and doesn’t follow you from page to page or from site to site. Daily totals are kept for 60 days. Only I can see them, and they’re never shared with anyone.
The newsletter
If you sign up for the newsletter, I keep:
- Your email address
- A record of when you agreed to get emails, and the wording you agreed to
- A scrambled version of your internet address, used only to stop spam signups. It can’t be turned back into your actual address.
You get a confirmation email first, and nothing else is sent until you confirm. Every email has an unsubscribe link. I don’t track whether you open my emails or which links you click.
After you unsubscribe, I keep your email address on a “do not email” list so you aren’t added back by mistake. If you want it removed completely, just ask.
Reader notes
When you leave a note on a recipe, the site keeps what you write, plus your rating and tweak if you add them. WordPress also saves the name and email you enter, your internet address and the type of browser you used, which helps me catch spam. Your email address is never shown on the site.
There are no profile pictures from outside services like Gravatar. Readers get a simple letter instead.
Cookies
This site doesn’t use tracking cookies. If you tick the box to save your name and email when leaving a note, your browser remembers them in a cookie for about a year, so you don’t have to type them again. That cookie stays on your device.
Things that come from other sites
Everything you see here loads from this site, including the fonts. A few things only connect to another company when you choose to use them:
- Videos load from YouTube (in its privacy-enhanced mode) or Vimeo only after you press play. From then on, their privacy policies apply.
- Save to Pinterest is a plain link. Nothing from Pinterest loads until you click it.
- Affiliate links are labeled “affiliate link.” If you click one, the store you land on (like Amazon) may use cookies to credit me for the visit. Their privacy policy applies there.
- Tips go through the payment site you choose, and that site handles your payment details. I never see your card number.
My web host
Like every website, Ad-Free Cook runs on a web host (Namecheap). The host keeps standard server logs, like internet addresses and the pages requested, to keep the site secure and running.
Your choices
You can ask me to show you what I have about you, correct it or delete it. You can also unsubscribe from the newsletter at any time. Write to me at the address above and I’ll take care of it.
Kids
This site is meant for grown-up home cooks. I don’t knowingly collect information from children under 13.
Changes
If this policy changes, I’ll update it on this page and change the date at the top.