How to Write a Family Cookbook
Discuss the idea of developing a family cookbook with your family., Set deadlines and meetings., Design a cover., Pull the cookbook together., Enjoy your cookbook!
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Discuss the idea of developing a family cookbook with your family.
Figure out together what you want to do with the cookbook, how it is to be used and whether or not it is to be created once or created in such a way that recipes and tidbits can be continuously added to it as time goes on.
Here are a few questions you might want to discuss.
Is the cookbook going to be big or small? Typed or written? Easy to update? Do we want to invite other members of the family to contribute? (For example, grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins).
Or do we just want it to be our immediate family? Do we want to have a lot of recipes or just a few? What sorts of recipes are worth keeping? Do we want to keep space to keep adding onto our cookbook, or add it all at once? -
Step 2: Set deadlines and meetings.
The family needs to meet up every once in a while and continue to discuss what's new.
It could be every day at dinner time.
Or, even once or twice a year.
As long as everybody who's involved in the cookbook is at a certain place, at a certain time, you can have a meeting about developing and finalizing the cookbook.
It is important that you take overall responsibility for its development.
Since it's your idea, everyone will be looking to you to be the main organizer and motivator for this project.
Without your leadership, the cookbook may not happen.
Ask everyone to keep recipes aside when they discover they really like them.
They could print them off the internet, add a tag to favorite cookbooks in the house or write it out.
Another approach is to scan and email you any of the favorite recipes, so that you can begin collecting them together. , You can draw it or create it on Microsoft Word, Pages or another similar word processing program.
When creating the cover, keep in mind:
Everyone in the family should like it––check it with them first.
It should contain something about your family, such as your family name in big letters and perhaps a short summary of why the cookbook was created.
Everyone should have a chance to suggest an idea or help in some way.
Make sure you're all having fun! , This is the most intensive part of the exercise and it'll take time, so be prepared.
Permanent style:
If you're going to prepare a permanent book which cannot be updated, arrange all of the recipes into your word processing program, in order of preference (such as soups, salads, appetizers, main courses, desserts, baking, tips, etc.).
Add images, if any.
Then ready the digital file to be sent to a printer to have it printed off (see cover making above).
Update style:
Find a suitable large recipe binder or hard file with plastic sheet inserts.
Print off the existing recipes in the desired order, along with images, if any.
Arrange these in the folder.
Leave space for future recipes.
These can be added in one of two ways––they can be collected and arranged in the word processor and only printed off when a new page is ready (making more work for you).
Or, the recipes can be cut to size and taped onto printer paper sheets and inserted into the spare envelopes of the binder, as needed. , Keep it somewhere in the kitchen that is easy to access, so that all family members can make use of it at any time. -
Step 3: Design a cover.
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Step 4: Pull the cookbook together.
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Step 5: Enjoy your cookbook!
Detailed Guide
Figure out together what you want to do with the cookbook, how it is to be used and whether or not it is to be created once or created in such a way that recipes and tidbits can be continuously added to it as time goes on.
Here are a few questions you might want to discuss.
Is the cookbook going to be big or small? Typed or written? Easy to update? Do we want to invite other members of the family to contribute? (For example, grandma, grandpa, aunts, uncles, cousins).
Or do we just want it to be our immediate family? Do we want to have a lot of recipes or just a few? What sorts of recipes are worth keeping? Do we want to keep space to keep adding onto our cookbook, or add it all at once?
The family needs to meet up every once in a while and continue to discuss what's new.
It could be every day at dinner time.
Or, even once or twice a year.
As long as everybody who's involved in the cookbook is at a certain place, at a certain time, you can have a meeting about developing and finalizing the cookbook.
It is important that you take overall responsibility for its development.
Since it's your idea, everyone will be looking to you to be the main organizer and motivator for this project.
Without your leadership, the cookbook may not happen.
Ask everyone to keep recipes aside when they discover they really like them.
They could print them off the internet, add a tag to favorite cookbooks in the house or write it out.
Another approach is to scan and email you any of the favorite recipes, so that you can begin collecting them together. , You can draw it or create it on Microsoft Word, Pages or another similar word processing program.
When creating the cover, keep in mind:
Everyone in the family should like it––check it with them first.
It should contain something about your family, such as your family name in big letters and perhaps a short summary of why the cookbook was created.
Everyone should have a chance to suggest an idea or help in some way.
Make sure you're all having fun! , This is the most intensive part of the exercise and it'll take time, so be prepared.
Permanent style:
If you're going to prepare a permanent book which cannot be updated, arrange all of the recipes into your word processing program, in order of preference (such as soups, salads, appetizers, main courses, desserts, baking, tips, etc.).
Add images, if any.
Then ready the digital file to be sent to a printer to have it printed off (see cover making above).
Update style:
Find a suitable large recipe binder or hard file with plastic sheet inserts.
Print off the existing recipes in the desired order, along with images, if any.
Arrange these in the folder.
Leave space for future recipes.
These can be added in one of two ways––they can be collected and arranged in the word processor and only printed off when a new page is ready (making more work for you).
Or, the recipes can be cut to size and taped onto printer paper sheets and inserted into the spare envelopes of the binder, as needed. , Keep it somewhere in the kitchen that is easy to access, so that all family members can make use of it at any time.
About the Author
Lauren Turner
Enthusiastic about teaching pet care techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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