How do you keep your recipes?
@onecutehoneybear (938)
United States
April 17, 2007 8:15pm CST
I've been having trouble keeping track of my recipes. I'm constantly losing them. Does anyone else have this problem or am I the only one.
How do you keep your recipes? Do you keep them in a spiral notebook, three ring binder, on index cards in a container? I tried keeping mine in a spiral but the pages keep falling out.
I was thinking about typing out each recipe and putting them in sheet protectors in a three ring binder so that way I can have the binder open and if food splashes on it I can just wipe it off and it doesn't ruin my recipe.
4 people like this
32 responses
@Acts238girl (2087)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I put my recipes in a scrapbook.You could also try putting them in a picture album.That way you have the plastic cover over them for protection.Plus you wouldn't have to put the paper itself in the binder part.Hope this helps.
1 person likes this
@Acts238girl (2087)
• United States
18 Apr 07
oops!sorry didn't mean to post two of them.
1 person likes this
@onecutehoneybear (938)
• United States
18 Apr 07
No problem. :) I think my mom uses a picture album. I didn't think about that when I wrote this.
1 person likes this
@elisa812 (3026)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I do exactly what you just suggested! I type up my recipes and then put them in sheet protectors in a 3 ring binder. I also keep them saved on the computer after I type them. I'm planning to then sort through them and divide them into categories and put them into different folders (like desserts, appetizers, etc.) and then put them all onto a recipe CD. That way I can access them on any computer and if I lose a recipe out of my notebook, I'll have a backup copy on the CD and can just print off a new copy. :)
1 person likes this
@onecutehoneybear (938)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I need to make a back up CD just in case too. Thanks for reminding me!
1 person likes this
@annettenasser (2992)
• Kuwait
18 Apr 07
after compiling then from my many sources i put them in a plastic sheets and seal them,but before i make it sure its nice and beautifully design. and then put it together in a binder book.
@Jennifer21 (2476)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I like to keep my recipes in a recipe box. I have many recipes, so I have many recipe boxes. It helps me keep them in order. I even make my own tabs, such as ex. dinners, desserts, soups, ect. It really helps me from getting them lost and confused.
1 person likes this
@rodeotexas (1153)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Mine stay on the computer. I just save them under different things and add to the main document. I have different things like easy foods, desserts, crockpot, etc and it works well. Then after I get a couple of full pages I print it out and put them in page protectors in a notebook.
1 person likes this
@onecutehoneybear (938)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I keep a lot of mine on the computer too but I hate it when I can't find what I'm looking for.
1 person likes this
@Acts238girl (2087)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I put my recipes in a scrapbook.You could also try putting them in a picture album.That way you have the plastic cover over them for protection.Plus you wouldn't have to put the paper itself in the binder part.Hop this helps.
1 person likes this
@ladysurvivor (4746)
• Malaysia
25 Jul 07
Yes, putting your recipes in sheet protectors will surely keep them from being spoiled. I like your idea, and maybe I'll use it if I have the time to tidy up my recipe book. I keep my recipes in a hard cover note book. I personally write them on the book and not just paste another piece of paper into them. This way it is neater and the pages will not break lose from the binder. I have been keeping this book for years and I use it often. Until now it is still in a good condition. My mother is also using the same type of book, and she even wrapped the cover with a plastic. The book is older than my age. Just imagine that, and it is still looking good. Have a nice day, friend!
@x3temptationx (677)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I put all of mine and my moms recipes in a 3-ring binder in the protector sheets also, they are sturdy so you won't have to worry about them ripping or having spills on them. Once we started getting quite a few recipes, we also put dividers in there like a normal cookbook to put it into sections like seafood, desserts, etc.
@onecutehoneybear (938)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I know I will need to put dividers in too. I have so many recipes that if I didn't put dividers in I would never be able to find what I'm looking for.
@Rosepetal (352)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I keep mine in a three-ring binder in sheet protectors. The sheet protectors do protect the pages from food splashes.
1 person likes this
@PurpleTeddyBear (6685)
• Canada
18 Apr 07
I keep all of my recipes on my computer. I have a main folder (for example chicken, pork, beef, desserts, salads, etc) and then in those folders are the recipes. I find it keeps them neat and tidy.
@onecutehoneybear (938)
• United States
18 Apr 07
This is a great idea, I didn't think about putting them in folders. Sometimes I'm a big ditz!
@terilee79720 (3621)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I used to have the same problem onecutehoneybear.
I finally collected them all and put them in a book like you are thinking.
I eventually wrote a cookbook and have sold a lot of copies.
People love cookbooks.
@onecutehoneybear (938)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I love cookbooks. I never thought about printing out my own though cause I don't have that many recipes. Thanks for sharing.
@Rickrocks8 (1751)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Much to the dismay of my family and friends most of mine are in my head. I go to foodnetwork alot and I read them and just kind of wing it when it comes time to make something. I do use them for baking I mostly have books.
@onecutehoneybear (938)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I have some recipes stored in my head but its the ones I use over and over. Ones that I only use once in a while have to be written down or I'll forget them.
I'm amazed that you can remember all the ingredients in a recipe without having it written down!
@Rickrocks8 (1751)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I guess its more or less just a method and you can change it to work with what you have on hand. I will watch the food network and MOST of the stuff my family wouldnt touch with a ten foot pole.
Happy cooking
@Lydia1901 (16351)
• United States
26 Apr 07
Thankfully, I have a book with all the recipes that I use in it. If I get a recipe from somewhere I just save it on my computer in words document.
@5000ml (1923)
• Belgium
18 Apr 07
I usually keep my recipes in a scrapbook or on my laptop and desktop computer. It's not all as neat as I'd like it to be, but everything I print out or write down is at least kept in the same small area in the kitchen and I make sure they stay there so I never lose a recipe.
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I have most of mine in a metal box on index cards. The only problem with this is that the recipe cards sometimes get nasty if food splashes on them. I have used a three ring notebook,but I never had any luck with not losing them or ruining them.
@curvychick77 (1084)
• United States
18 Apr 07
I use index cards, then have them laminated and all my recipies are placed in a small box, so whenever I need the they are all there. It helps and it's simpler than keeping them in a notebook.
@anjalibe (15)
• United States
18 Apr 07
Its very simple just take a book and write the recipes in that daily what u r cooking,so that when ever u want to cook the dish u can just pick that book and u can cook simply.i am following the same procedure i just wrote that first time when i am cooking that recipes but after that i keep on looking that book and following.
@scarywhitegirl (2766)
• United States
23 Jun 07
I used to either write my recipes on index cards, or tape a printout onto the index card if I was feeling lazy. Most of these got dirty or otherwise messed up, so before I moved, I copied the recipes that I liked into a spiral notebook. Now if I find a new recipe that I like, I will copy it in there, because I left extra room to write down more recipes.
I don't use a lot of recipes when I cook, though. I either make things that come in packages with the directions on the label, or I know the recipes well enough that I make them from memory.