Almost nothing feels more comforting than digging into a delicious plate of home-cooked food. If you grew up believing that there was nothing better than your mom’s or grandma’s cooking, then you can attest to the notion that there’s something extra special about recipes that have been passed down for generations. You can continue the tradition by creating a family recipe book.
This is a fun and thoughtful idea that you can not only share with your family, but that will also spark new conversations and potentially even bring out old, untried recipes. What’s the best way to put together a guide that everyone in your family will love? Here are some suggestions.
Enlist Everyone in the Family
It’s important to compile the recipes before you do anything else. Once you know how many you have, or at least have an approximate idea of what to expect, you can choose the best binder for the recipes. Think about all the recipes that you personally want to include in the book. Maybe you’re known for your incredible chocolate cake or your unbeatable cookie recipe. Whatever your kitchen success story might be, make sure it’s in the book!
Then turn to the rest of the family. Don’t just ask those you already know are phenomenal cooks — make sure that everyone has a chance to share! That will contribute to a more well-rounded book that includes a little bit of everything. If you gather enough recipes, you can break them down by category to make it more comprehensive and easy to read.
Select an Appropriate Binder
Part of the joy of creating your own recipe book is selecting a cute binder to hold all the instructions. Opt for something that’s right in line with your personality or that specifically resonates with the family for some reason. If it’s filled with great dessert recipes, an eye-catching binder with cupcake artwork is a fun choice! If you’re an animal lover, grab a binder that will make you smile every time you reach for it, like this one featuring a cute dog.
If you’re taking a different route and prefer to handwrite the recipes, you may want to consider a recipe-specific notebook instead. The beauty of these books is that they provide enough space for all the important information, including the recipe name, the serving size, preparation time, ingredient lists, and cooking instructions. Try one that you can personalize to make it extra special, like this chalkboard design.
Put Together Your Book
Have some fun organizing your recipe book. Sort them out by type if it’s easier to put it together that way. You can separate items by types, like vegetarian and seafood, and sort everything into breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert categories. If you have drink recipes, categorize those in their own separate section. You can also segregate holiday-specific recipes by day. You’ll know exactly where to turn when you need to whip up your cousin’s incredible mashed potatoes or your grandmother’s delicious pumpkin pie.
Not only is putting together a family recipe book a great way to honor treasured family recipes, but it also helps introduce many beloved dishes to other members of the family. You might feel generous enough to create copies for other cooks or to share yours whenever there’s a special occasion upcoming. Think of it as the start of a wonderful new tradition!
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