SW in IL Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I have tons of recipes... Some on recipe cards, some printed off the 'net, some cut out of magazines, newspapers, etc. And then there are the old tried and true ones that I have bookmarked in one cookbook or another. I really want to get them all together, in one place, in a way that I can find what I need. I've looked at a few computer programs, some recipe card sets, books that you can use to organize recipes, etc. I really don't know what I'm looking for... Just figuring I'll know it when I see it. Since I travel a great deal, I want something I can take with me... Maybe a small book with my favorite recipes. But at the same time, I want to be able to have quite a few recipes easily available. And, being a bit OCD, everything has to be in the same format -- even if it means tedious hours of writing out recipe cards or typing recipes into the computer. Any thoughts/ideas? Thanks, Sue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merry gardens Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I type my favorites in word documents and save them in a larger computer file. No fancy computer program for recipes--just word. I have tons of recipe books and subscriptions to food magazines and I search for recipes using specialty ingredients online often too--and when I find a recipe I really like, then I type it in word. I keep print outs of some of the frequently used recipes filed loosely in a drawer in the kitchen. In that same drawer, I keep recipes I want to try, torn out of magazines or printed off the internet--and once I try one, if I like it, I type it into my computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I have tons of recipes... Some on recipe cards, some printed off the 'net, some cut out of magazines, newspapers, etc. And then there are the old tried and true ones that I have bookmarked in one cookbook or another. I really want to get them all together, in one place, in a way that I can find what I need. I've looked at a few computer programs, some recipe card sets, books that you can use to organize recipes, etc. I really don't know what I'm looking for... Just figuring I'll know it when I see it. Since I travel a great deal, I want something I can take with me... Maybe a small book with my favorite recipes. But at the same time, I want to be able to have quite a few recipes easily available. And, being a bit OCD, everything has to be in the same format -- even if it means tedious hours of writing out recipe cards or typing recipes into the computer. Any thoughts/ideas? Thanks, Sue I just use a 3 ring binder, page protectors and those divider thingies with the little coloured tabs (what are those called anyway??). If I find it online I copy and paste into Word so I can play with the font enough that it will fit on the front of a single page, then print and put in a page protector in the binder. I also take the recipe cards others have given me and put those in the page protectors, as is. Sometimes, I will take a picture of what I made and type it up nicely to print out. It depends on how lazy I am that day. It isn't the prettiest system, but it is the easiest one and most useful one I've found for myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Inna* Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I just use a 3 ring binder, page protectors and those divider thingies with the little coloured tabs (what are those called anyway??). Same here. I have separate binders for main dishes, bread and pizzas, breakfasts and desserts. Lately I've been using Pinterest to organize recipe links too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cricket Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I like Plan To Eat for recipes I find online. It is nice that it will print out a shopping list for ingredients too. For recipes I use frequently I type them out and add them to my grocery shopping binder. My meal planner is in that as well. It helps to have all that stuff in one spot and it is nice to be able to refer to recipes when at the grocery store. (I need a smart phone!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brett_ashley Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I have a blog that I post recipes on. I got tired of all the different bookmarks and scraps of paper. I love this system because I can access it anywhere with internet access and easily share recipes with a friend. I use it as a storage place for lots of things online. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frontier Mom Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I like Plan To Eat for recipes I find online. It is nice that it will print out a shopping list for ingredients too. For recipes I use frequently I type them out and add them to my grocery shopping binder. My meal planner is in that as well. It helps to have all that stuff in one spot and it is nice to be able to refer to recipes when at the grocery store. (I need a smart phone!) Same here. After many different formats, I like Plan to Eat the best. It has a batch recipe input that makes it soooo easy to put in a recipe. I just copy and paste many of mine in or just put in the link from the web. It is great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6packofun Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Big binder here, too. All of the classic, favorite recipes that we eat most are also handwritten on index cards and laminated...several copies so that one day I can send each of my kiddos off with a recipe box of home cookin' from their childhoods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mergath Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I use a three ring binder, too. The plastic page protectors are an absolute necessity if you're a messy cook. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MamaAkins Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I have begun typing my older recipes into keyingredient.com and posting new recipes there as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GWOB Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I use an old school photo album. I cut out favorite recipes from magazines and slide them in. Also, it is rather easy to print out note-card sized recipes and slide them into the photo album. AND, since I'm weird and almost have note cards with me, I can jot down someone's recipe and just slide it into my album. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandymom Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 another incredibly satisfied Plan To Eat user here too.....life is SO much easier now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Audrey Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 another incredibly satisfied Plan To Eat user here too.....life is SO much easier now Oh! I forgot to say that I use this, too! I love Plan to Eat, but mostly I use it to plan menus and print shopping lists. It's so easy for that. I transferred some of my most frequent recipes from my binder to Plan to Eat. I still use the binder for keeping recipes and reading them while cooking. I did find a lot of good new recipes from the buddy system they have on Plan to Eat. They print out in a very nice format, too, and I put those in my binder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mandymom Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I transferred some of my most frequent recipes from my binder to Plan to Eat. I still use the binder for keeping recipes and reading them while cooking. I actually use my phone (and sometimes even my laptop) in the kitchen. Plan to Eat has a GREAT mobile site, and it is super easy to access the recipes and/or your meal plan on your smart phone. I also LOVE the shopping list that you access from the mobile site. Use it ALL THE TIME! There is no "app" per se, but you don't need one with the mobile site. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alte Veste Academy Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I have tons of recipes... Some on recipe cards, some printed off the 'net, some cut out of magazines, newspapers, etc. And then there are the old tried and true ones that I have bookmarked in one cookbook or another. I really want to get them all together, in one place, in a way that I can find what I need. Any thoughts/ideas? I have a bit of OCD about matching too. I much prefer a paper system. I keep all recipes from magazines and online print-outs in document protectors in a 3 ring binder, sorted by recipe type. However, family recipes and anything that is tried and loved is transferred to recipe cards and put into an old-fashioned recipe box. I am sentimental that way. CR Gibson has some cute stuff. I bought their Happi Kitchen line (loaded up on recipe cards for the future). Also, since DD is an avid cook, I bought their recipe keeper for her. When she and I make something, I take a picture of us with the finished product and include it in the book, under the card. I will give it to her when she leaves home and hope it will be treasured. Anyway, this is a nice size for travel so it might work for you. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0039X26SY?ie=UTF8&force-full-site=1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama Geek Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I use My Big Oven software. Their basic software which I bought years ago is now free on their website with the ability to upgrade to pro which is the stuff I don't use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
angela in ohio Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I have an old-fashioned recipe book with the plastic sleeves for recipe cards,and a pile of matching recipe cards. That holds all of the tried and true. I also have a binder on the kitchen bookshelf with all of the printed-off recipes that we have tried or want to try, the magazine pages, etc. When we have made something a few times, made our own changes, and know we want to keep it, one of my dd write it out onto a recipe card and it gets "promoted" to the good recipe book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jenny in Florida Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Several years ago, my husband collected up all of the recipes I had scribbled on scrap paper and tucked into cookbooks and such, typed them up neatly and put them all in page protectors in a three-ring binder as a Christmas gift. He left space for new stuff, which I quickly out-grew. So, a few years after that, my daughter updated it for me. It's a mess again. But at least it's all in one place. Nowadays, when I try a new recipe, with my personal tweaks, I type it up and save a copy in my online folder. I put a print-out in the binder, but I keep the copy online as a back-up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
love2read Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 Big white binder and page protectors here too. I invested in some scrap booking paper to slip behind the plastic cover to it more attractive, as well as good dividers. Recipes to try go in the front pocket of the binder and when it gets tight I make myself try the whole lot before I add more. Back pocket is for recipes that we love and want to try again before putting in a page protector with the other keepers. I've scanned recipes from cookbooks if they include an image that is helpful, otherwise I write them out the old fashioned way so that my grandkids can look back and see grandma's handwriting just like I do today with my grandmother's cookbook. I love reading her notes in the edges and the recipes she copied onto the blank pages. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delighted3 Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I use "plan to eat" too and love it. I have been slowly typing in recipes from my binder, but a lot of recipes can be found on the internet and imported. That has always been my problem with recipe programs in the past is the tedious process of adding your own recipes, but with "plan to eat", it is very easy and fast. Joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannah Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I typed or copied the recipes into Excell. One recipe per worksheet. On the first sheet I have listed the recipes under their main ingredient or type (i.e. chicken, minced meat, seafood, soup etc). The title of each recipe is in a textbox and I then used the macro wizard to record a macro which opens the relevant recipe sheet when I click on the box. (I hope this makes sense) I've played around with different ways of putting together ingredients lists automatically, but a notebook is still the easiest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JulieH Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I just use a 3 ring binder, page protectors and those divider thingies with the little coloured tabs (what are those called anyway??). If I find it online I copy and paste into Word so I can play with the font enough that it will fit on the front of a single page, then print and put in a page protector in the binder. I also take the recipe cards others have given me and put those in the page protectors, as is. Sometimes, I will take a picture of what I made and type it up nicely to print out. It depends on how lazy I am that day. It isn't the prettiest system, but it is the easiest one and most useful one I've found for myself. My mom does this and it works great for her Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I use a plastic accordion file. Once a year I go through and throw out recipes I don't really love or have memorized. Several times a year I type recipes as Word documents to give to others, so I have all these backed up on my computer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lady Florida. Posted October 19, 2011 Share Posted October 19, 2011 I'm slowly getting them all typed into a word program. I copy and paste the online ones I have bookmarked. I have a folder, and have made categories in the folder. When I finish, I plan to print them out and put them in a binder. I will feel better when I have a hard copy of favorite new recipes, as well as family recipes. I no longer feel like I need a copy of every recipe I've tried though, unless it does become a favorite that I make often. So many recipes are available online, and it only takes me seconds to find what I'm looking for. I've looked at Plan to Eat, and might do the trial membership. For now though, the way I do it isn't broken, so I haven't tried to fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sandellie4 Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 My Big Oven looks kind of neat. Do you have to type in the recipes, though, or can you import from other sites, cut and paste? Something besides typing? Sandy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 I recently started using Plan To Eat and like it. I like that I can quickly print off a shopping lost of ingredients that I need to purchase. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Julie in CA Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 Oh no! Now I want to use Plan to Eat. :001_huh: I guess I'll go for it and put everything in during my 30 day trial, and just assume I'll be feeling less broke when I have to pay after that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
walkermamaof4 Posted October 20, 2011 Share Posted October 20, 2011 We use plan to eat too - if noone posted their referral code, here is mine ;) http://www.plantoeat.com/ref/0nal2ekzib Absolutely LOVE it! Before this, I had all of my recipes in a word doc as well as printed out from that. I was able to use bulk input recipe by recipe to put them all in plantoeat. Got it done in a week or so. I love that I can see my shopping list on my phone. I can add to my shopping list anytime from my phone, computer, ipad. I can mark items bu store for my shopping list. I can print my shopping list for any # of days I want. I can move a meal I failed to cook to the next day and not forget to cook it and not let the ingredients ROT! My husband says he loves it too bc/ although I think I've tried all of these years to always serve a nice dinner, this has kept me more prepared and more on track. Clint answers questions quickly and didn't laugh at me when the reason my ingredients would show up on my shopping list was because I had posted them in the directions area. I think I might add in costs of ingredients sometime to get a better handle on how much meals actually cost me. It is easy to use and worth every single penny. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Holly IN Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 (edited) I am setting mine up now. Here is the plan: First of all I am debating whether to do a complete meal plan or seperate categories and make notations what side dish to make with it. For now I am doing it this way: Section 1: Complete meal plans including side dishes with page protectors. If the side dish is used with more than one main dish then I will note it on the main dish recipe. Section 2: breakfast, lunch and then odds/ends stuff My plan is to photocopy recipes from books I have to make it easier for me and have it all in one place. However the recipes that goes in my binder will be the only ones that we tried and liked/loved. If we haven't tried it yet then it doesn't go in there yet. We try a new menu plan 2 times a week. Lately though due to illness, it has been once a week. As far as magazines goes and online stuff goes: Magazine-tear them out and put in page protectors. Online: copy then paste into word to try to fit in one page if not then two double sided on one page. Also save the word doc in my kitchen file...Now they do not go into binder until we tried then. I put the "did not try yet" recipes in my recipe holder thing that sits on my counter (the one that helps keep your book upright with clear plastic cover that protects your book). This may not work for you but it does for us. Only liked/loved recipes go into the binder. HTH!! Holly Edited October 23, 2011 by Holly IN Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweetMissMagnolia Posted October 23, 2011 Share Posted October 23, 2011 I would like to do a cute little recipe book or little recipe cards but at the moment they are scattered on my computer and a computer disc..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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