To save you time, we\u2019ve rounded up a list of the best, trusted WordPress plugins for food blogs. The plugin categories we cover in this post include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Security and spam<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Image optimization<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Recipe structured data<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Food blog SEO<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Performance<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Affiliate marketing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Social sharing<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Compliance<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Back-ups<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
Remember, your WordPress web host<\/a> plays a big part in plugin compatibility, which is why a plugin should always be inspected technically before it’s installed and configured.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Tips for picking WordPress food blog plugins<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Not all WordPress plugins are created equal and some plugins don’t play nicely in the sandbox so it’s important to do your homework. The very best WordPress plugins for food blogs are widely used by the development community and frequently updated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For each plugin you’re interested in, ask yourself these questions:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
- \n
- Who developed the plugin? Are they credible?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How frequently is the plugin updated? When was the last update?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Is the plugin compatible with the latest version of Wordpress?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How many active installations are there?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Has the developer disclosed any known conflicts with other plugins?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How well received is the plugin? What\u2019s the star rating? How are the reviews?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- How many unresolved support tickets are outstanding for the plugin?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Does the plugin\u2019s solution apply to existing posts or new posts only?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- Is the solution too big, too small, or just the right size for my site?<\/li>\n\n\n\n
- If I remove the plugin, will I lose all of my work?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n
The majority of the answers to these questions can be found on wordpress.org\/plugins<\/a>. Just search by plugin name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For security and spam<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/activitylog-256x256.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nActivity Log (free)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Activity Log helps you monitor and track your site\u2019s back-end activity.
You can keep tabs on if\/when a plugin was activated or deactivated, log suspicious admin activity and more. It\u2019s also a huge help for WordPress tech support companies like Foodie Digital to be able to see a history of what has been done, when and by whom.<\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/akismet-icon-256x256-150x150.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAkismet Anti Spam (free + paid plans)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
With more than 5 million active installations, Akismet is a leader in comment and contact spam detection and prevention. With commenting encouraged on food blogs to boost post engagement and recipe star ratings, it\u2019s endlessly helpful that Akismet automatically checks all comments and filters out those that look like spam. It\u2019s a sanity saver.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/cleantalk-icon-256x256-150x150.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSpam protection, AntiSpam, FireWall by CleanTalk (paid)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Clean Talk is an affordable anti-spam plugin with no CAPTCHA and many different integration capabilities, including supports for Gravity Forms, Mail Chimp, WooCommerce and more. It’s a solid alternative to Akismet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/sucuri-icon-256x256-150x150.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSucuri Security (free + paid plans)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Sucuri is the authority in WordPress security. The free version of the plugin is available to all WordPress users and is designed to complement your web host’s security protocol. Remote malware scanning, blacklist monitoring, activity monitoring (similar to Activity Log), file monitoring and email notifications are all features of the free version of the plugin. An upgrade to premium gets you an enterprise grade Website Firewall.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wordfence-icon.svg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWordFence (free + paid plans)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Robust, user-friendly and all-about real-time updates, Wordfence\u2019s free plugin is an excellent choice with a lot of the same features as Sucuri. With more than 3 million active installations, it\u2019s tried and tested and a favorite at Foodie Digital.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For image optimization<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/short-pixel-icon-256x256-150x150.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nShortPixel Image Optimizer (free + paid plans)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
ShortPixel is a popular WordPress plugin for good reason. It boosts site speed and performance by reducing the size of each image in a post or on a page, while still delivering high-quality images. Images are automatically compressed on upload which saves time. If you have a large library of uncompressed images, you can also use the bulk processor and optimize them all at once. The recommended settings for ShortPixel are already checked on installation, but you can configure them to meet your needs. Lazy loading of images, however, isn\u2019t available in ShortPixel. In the case of ShortPixel the images are progressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/smush-icon-256x256-150x150.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nSmush Image Compression and Optimization (free + paid plans)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Image optimization isn\u2019t just about making files smaller, it\u2019s also about site speed and image quality and Smush Pro is an industry leader. With its well thought through features, including lazy loading, Smush Pro is a great choice\u2014just be sure to configure it correctly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For recipe structured data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/create.svg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nCreate by Mediavine (free)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Create is the SEO-friendly WordPress recipe card plugin from Mediavine. Create is 100% free<\/a>, and you don\u2019t have to be a Mediavine publisher to use it. It’s a solid option for structured data markup for Google and Pinterest, including rich pins. The plugin also supports carousel structured data in addition to recipe schema, and it has many well thought through features, including the ability to hide or display a video in a recipe card, plus easy affiliate ingredient and equipment promotion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wp-tasty.svg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nTasty Recipes (paid)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Tasty Recipes is a good option for recipe SEO<\/a> and structured data markup for Google and Pinterest, including rich pins. There’s a handful of nice-looking, contemporary themes to choose from and the recipe input interface is really easy to use and intuitive. It\u2019s a lightweight plugin, with no extra bells and whistles that’ll slow you down unnecessarily.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/wprm-icon-256x256.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nWP Recipe Maker (free + paid plans)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Like most plugins that follow the freemium model, the free version of WP Recipe Maker<\/a> is very good while the paid versions (premium, pro and elite)<\/a> each offer more sophisticated features. It\u2019s a good option for recipe SEO and structured data markup for Google and Pinterest, including rich pins. It supports carousel metadata in addition to recipe schema. It’s a robust, flexible WordPress recipe card plugin with an excellent, well thought through feature base.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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Thirsty for more?<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
We break down the pros and cons, considerations, costs, and main benefits of today\u2019s top WordPress recipe card plugins in 3 best WordPress recipe card plugins compared.<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
For food blog SEO<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"Yoast](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/icon-4.svg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nYoast SEO (free + paid plans)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Gold-standard, must-have, incredibly powerful\u2014that\u2019s the best way to describe Yoast SEO. The feature base goes well beyond the preview snippet that you use in the back-end of a post. Pay special attention to configuration on install and let Yoast work its magic.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/redirection-icon-256x256.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nRedirection (free)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Without having to get into the code, you can easily manage 301 redirections, keep track of 404 errors and a whole host of other redirect situations. With more than 1 million active installations it\u2019s the WordPress redirect plugin of choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For performance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/logo-cloudflare-dark.svg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nCloudflare (free + paid plans)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
A powerful player in performance, Cloudflare is often used in conjunction with WP Rocket and other WordPress performance plugins. Cloudflare does a lot of things, but one of the biggest benefits for food blogs is that it brings content closer to your users by caching static web content on its network\u2014a performance win.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/rocket-logo-dark.svg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWP Rocket (paid)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
WP Rocket is a popular and powerful caching and performance plugin. There are options to reduce the weight and number of JavaScript and CSS files by combining multiple files into one, and removing unnecessary or redundant data in your theme files without impacting how the resource looks and feels in a web browser. Another attractive feature for food bloggers who use multiple images in a post is that images “lazy load” as a visitor scrolls down the page\u2014a win for the load time of a page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/autoptimize-icon-128x128.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nAutoptimize (free)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Easy to install and use, Autoptimize is a solid free option and provides many of the same features as WP Rocket (such as combining\/minifying Javascript and CSS files, and lazy loading images) but without the cache feature. Since page level caching is often provided by web hosts, this simple but powerful plugin could be the answer to all of your speed optimization needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For affiliate marketing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nTasty Links (paid)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Developed and maintained by the same team behind Tasty Recipes, Tasty Links is an easy-to-use plugin with a simple user interface that allows you to easily manage affiliate links across your site. It’s the most common affiliate link plugin in the FD community!<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Logo](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/easy-affiliate-links.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nEasy Affiliate Links (free)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Developed and maintained by the same team behind WP Recipe Maker, Easy Affiliate Links is a great free tool that allows you to easily manage a variety of affiliate links (Amazon, brand partnerships, rewardStyle and more). Tagging outbound links nofollow for compliance is easy, and the plugin is compatible with WordPress\u2019 block editor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Logo](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/pretty-links.png\")
<\/figure>\n\n\n\nPretty Links (paid)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
A favorite among Foodie Digital members invested in affiliate marketing. With Pretty Links you can create link redirects from your website’s domain. You have complete control over how your links look and where they redirect. It also allows you to cloak, track, organize and share a wide range of affiliate links (Amazon, brand partnerships, rewardStyle and more). The plugin is compatible with WordPress’ block editor and makes nofollow compliance incredibly easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nYoast SEO (free)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Yoast SEO version 14.4 (released June 23, 2020) allows you to easily add rel=\u201cnofollow\u201d and rel=\u201csponsored\u201d to specific external links for WordPress versions 5.4 and above. Nofollow compliance made easy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"Shop](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Shop-Page-WP.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nShop Page WP (free)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
A favorite tool of the Foodie Digital team for quickly and easily spinning up an affiliate shop. Block editor compatible, with nofollow functionality baked-in, and a wide range of customizations available. Shop Page WP is a solid affiliate shop option.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For social sharing<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/05\/Grow-by-Mediavine-logo-300x202.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nGrow by Mediavine (free + paid)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Previously Social Pug, Grow by Mediavine is one of the easiest and best-looking social sharing plugins available. The free version of the plugin comes with four of the biggest social media platforms for food blogs: Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and LinkedIn. The social share buttons are also customizable and integrate nicely with a wide range of site designs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For compliance<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/affiliate-disclosure-icon-256x256.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nWP Affiliate Disclosure (free)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Most food bloggers are aware that when they share affiliate links they\u2019re required to disclose the nature of the affiliate relationship according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) regulations. The WP Affiliate Disclosure plugin makes easy work of this task, allowing food bloggers to automatically insert disclosure statements inside all blog posts by category or tag. You can tag all sponsored content with \u2018sponsored\u2019, for example, and the affiliate disclosure automatically displays without the need to edit each post.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For backing up<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/backwpup-icon-256x256.png\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nBackWPup (free)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
With more than 600,000 active installations, the plugin BackWPup is a proven solution for safely and securely backing up your whole site, including uploads. BackWPup pushes records to be stored at offsite services, such as Dropbox, FTP, RackSpace Cloud and more, and the process for restoring is as simple as it gets. BackWPup Pro has an even more robust feature set, including multi-site and premium support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/foodiedigital.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/04\/updraftplus-icon-256x256.jpg\")
<\/a><\/figure>\n\n\n\nUpdraft (free)<\/a><\/h4>\n\n\n\n
Updraft performs manual or scheduled incremental backups of all of your WordPress files, databases, plugins and themes. Incremental backups allow you to only backup changes to files (such as adding a new image) that have taken place since your last backup. The benefit of this approach is that the backup process isn\u2019t wildly onerous or heavy. Another bonus is that you can restore back-ups directly in WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
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