Organizing Your Recipes

I've had a request for information about organizing your recipes. I think I've seen just about every option out there and have tried most of them. I'll tell you what I've settled on and been the happiest with but I'll also list the other options I've seen in hopes that you can find one that fits you.

A few years ago I started using a scrapbook memory type recipe book and I love it. It's called The Family Recipe Collection Book by Joy Rodgers Mernin. You can get it here through amazon. It's on sale right now for $25 with free shipping.

Here's a brief description from amazon:

"A recipe collection book that helps collect the traditions of a lifetime easily and elegantly. Includes 12 sections, each with 4 ways to organize.
Pocket pages for clippings

Lined recipe pages for handwritten favorites I write our passed down family favorites on these

Clear full pages for handwritten favorites These are page protectors that you can slide full sized page recipes into. Usually I put ones that I've printed from my computer into these.

Clear pocket pages for recipe cards & photos These are clear 4x6 or so sized pockets to stick recipe cards into

and 24 glorious recipe cards to start you off. The recipe cards are beautiful and match the book.
This book is constructed to last a lifetime, the cover is sturdy hardboard, laminated to resist spills of a busy kitchen. Extra~duty binder rings have 2 springs, to reduce spring fatigue and misalignment, and to lock - so they cannot open accidentally."

It also includes some recipes already in there and has charts for measurements, etc. The book is quite large so it's a hefty thing but is able to handle a lot of recipes. You can purchase more page protectors and 4x6 page pockets from Wal-mart (brand x) if you need more. What's great about this book is that it's laid out well and very practical but it's also a wonderful treasure to pass down in your family.

Now, funny enough, I found this book on Amazon by chance and just had to put it on here. It's a recipe organizer as well but look at the title. =0)

Okay, moving on....for other ways to organize your recipes:

3 Ring Binder- You can duplicate the formal recipe binder above by purchasing your own large 3 ring binder, scrap booking your own cover and buying your own pages, page protectors, 4x6 pockets, etc. You can make it your own style and all. With scrap booking supplies, there are tons of cute cooking stickers, die cuts, brads, and more out there to use for embellishments. This is also makes a wonderful personalized gift for a bride.

Recipe Box- some people prefer this route. You can purchase a small recipe box just about anywhere these days which makes this route easy to get started. My only advice would be to consider the size. There is only so much room in a box. If you tend to be someone that collects a LOT of recipes, this might not be the option for you. Personally I prefer to look through my recipes as I flip pages in a book as opposed to having to pull up each recipe to look through a box.

Recipe Box expanded- again you can do your own version of this and purchase a large box that is meant for storage or pictures. I got one of these for my mom one year and she still uses it and loves it. She has so many recipes that she had no trouble filling this quite larger than a shoe box sized box. TJMaxx used to get them in all the time and it's a sturdy box with lid that is all covered in beautiful blue toile. I used invitations from Kinko's for the dividers that were two on a page that you cut in half that had wine and grapes on them and were made of heavy card stock.

Recipe Book- There are several versions of recipe books out there for organizing your own recipes. If you aren't interested in the family heirloom version but don't want a box, this might be right for you. You can purchase them at most cooking stores and most general grocery stores including Wal-mart and Target stores. They come in just about every style, design, and size you can imagine.

Software- There is also recipe organizing software. Here's an example, click here. Here's another one. I would do some research first if you are considering going paperless. Even get recommendations from people about whether or not they like the software they are using. You can also read reviews online if you can find them. You want to make sure that you really like the software and that it's easy to back up before you spend the time entering all of your recipes into it. Personally, I'm not ready to forgo my hard copies plus I'm sentimental about the hand written recipe. But if you're a modern woman with a lap top on your kitchen counter and love the idea of paperless recipe organizing, this might be a wonderful option for you.

Online Storage- There are also websites that will store your recipes for you. Such as this one. Your recipes will be available to you wherever you have Internet access. That way you don't even have to have your own computer with your own software on it. This again might be appealing for the convenience and the accessibility especially for someone that travels a lot, has a summer home, wants to share their recipes with others, etc. Do consider though that you are putting all your recipes in the hands of a web site company that one day you might go to and it's no longer there.

I think that covers the main options that I've seen. But I do want to point out a way of organizing your cook books. You can use an upright holder like this one pictured that can hold several small cookbooks for easy viewing and access. They even make ones that I've seen specifically for cookbooks. You can also get a solid one and cover it with your own cute cooking paper. Be creative or keep it simple. This makes storing your cookbooks in a pantry very helpful.

Well, I hope that was helpful.