Privacy Policy

Last updated: 1 November 2026

Food Box Mate is an independent Australian website. I’m David, a home cook in Sydney, and I run it on my own. This policy explains what the site collects when you visit, why, who else sees it, and how to ask me about it. I follow the Australian Privacy Principles in the Privacy Act 1988 (Cth).

The short version

• You can read the whole site without telling me who you are.
• I use Google Analytics to see which pages are read and which links are clicked. Google sets its own cookies to do this. The site itself sets no cookies.
• If you use the contact form, email me or leave a comment, I get the details you type in. I use them to reply to you or to show your comment, and for nothing else.
• I never sell or rent your personal information.
• When you follow a link to a meal kit or other service, that company and its affiliate network may set cookies so I can be paid a commission. Their privacy policies apply from that point.

When you visit the site

Google Analytics. The site uses Google Analytics 4 to count visits and understand how people use it: which pages they read, roughly where in the world they are, what device and browser they use, which site referred them, and which links to services they click or see on screen. Google sets two cookies to tell visits apart, _ga and _ga_61FRWFNC7J, which last up to two years. Before anything is sent, the site removes search terms, form entries and everything else after the “?” in a page address, keeping only campaign tags such as utm_source. Anything that looks like an email address or phone number is never sent. Google Analytics does not store full IP addresses. Google processes this data in the United States and elsewhere under its own privacy policy.

Hosting. The site is hosted on Cloudflare. As with any website, your browser sends your IP address and browser details with each request. Cloudflare uses them to deliver pages and protect the site from attacks, and may set a short-lived security cookie if traffic looks automated. I don’t keep visitor logs of my own. Cloudflare’s handling is covered by its privacy policy.

Search, calculators and charts. The site search, the meal kit price calculator, the head-to-head comparisons and the charts all run in your browser. What you type or choose is not sent to me. Google Analytics only records that a calculator was used on a page, not your answers.

When you contact me

The contact form on the About page asks for your name, email address and message. They are sent to my email inbox (Gmail, run by Google) so I can reply. I don’t add you to a mailing list or contact you about anything else. I keep messages only as long as I need them to deal with your enquiry.

To stop spam, the form briefly keeps a scrambled code made from your IP address, which can’t be turned back into the address. It changes every day and is deleted after two days. Emails sent straight to david@foodboxmate.com are handled the same way as form messages.

When you leave a comment

To comment you give a name, an email address and your comment. I read every comment before it appears. If it’s approved, your name, comment and the date are shown publicly on the page. Your email address is never shown. It is stored with the comment in a database hosted by Cloudflare and used only to manage comments. I don’t email commenters. The same scrambled-IP spam check described above applies. Ask me and I’ll remove your comment or your details.

Links to meal kits and other services

Food Box Mate earns a commission from some of the services it reviews. When you click a link to one of them, it usually goes through a short Food Box Mate address (for example /HelloFresh) that forwards you to the service or to an affiliate network such as Commission Factory, Impact or Awin. The forwarding records nothing about who you are. Google Analytics records that the link was clicked and on which page, as described above.

Once you reach the service or network, they may set cookies to record that you came from Food Box Mate, so a sign-up can be credited to me. What they collect from that point, including anything you give them when you order, is covered by their own privacy policy, not this one. I don’t receive your name, address or payment details from them, only reports of the commission earned.

Content from other sites

A few pages include a YouTube video, a Google map or a Giphy animation. These don’t load until you click Show it, and the box tells you which site the content comes from. Once loaded, that site may set its own cookies.

A handful of pages show an image hosted on another company’s website, such as Woolworths Rewards or Apple. Your browser fetches these directly from that site, which then receives your IP address and browser details in the same way Cloudflare does.

Who else sees your information

I share personal information only with the services that run the site for me: Google (Analytics and email) and Cloudflare (hosting, the comment database and sending contact-form emails). Both store data overseas, including in the United States. I’ll also disclose information if the law requires it. If Food Box Mate were ever sold, the comments and messages it holds would pass to the new owner under this policy, and the change would be announced on this page.

Your choices

• You can block or delete cookies in your browser settings. The site works fully without them.
• You can stop Google Analytics measuring your visits with Google’s opt-out browser add-on.
• You don’t have to load videos, maps or animations. Every one has a link to view it on the original site instead.
• You can read the site without using the contact form or leaving a comment.

Seeing, correcting or deleting your information

You can ask to see the personal information I hold about you, have it corrected, or have it deleted. Email david@foodboxmate.com and I’ll reply within 30 days. I may need to confirm the request comes from you, for example by replying to the email address you commented with.

Keeping it safe

The site is served only over HTTPS, and only I can see stored comments, email addresses and messages. No system is perfectly secure. If a data breach is likely to cause you serious harm, I’ll let you know.

Children

Food Box Mate is written for adults planning their household’s meals. It isn’t aimed at children, and I don’t knowingly collect information from anyone under 16.

Complaints

If you’re unhappy with how I’ve handled your information, email me first and I’ll try to put it right within 30 days. If you’re still not satisfied, you can complain to the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner on 1300 363 992.

Changes to this policy

When the site changes what it collects, I’ll update this page and the date at the top. Earlier versions are available on request.

Contact

David, Food Box Mate
Email: david@foodboxmate.com
Or use the contact form on the About page.