If you are a cooking geek, chances are you have a huge collection of recipes. Some of them probably belonged to your Italian nonna, who said, “Cooking is life.” Now that you look at a pile of screenshots, handwritten notes, and never-ending saved posts on social media platforms, you think it is time to somehow get them all together from your kitchen, living room, and home office. Here’s a thing: why not turn that delicious chaos into something useful and stylish?
Our special recommendation is a DIY recipe journal. Before you think it is just a notebook full of ingredients, we should say that it is your personal cookbook. It is your treasure trove of secrets of MasterChef-level dishes Jamie Oliver would be proud of.
If you think you are ready to craft a creative space where all those brave experiments, food memories, and family traditions live, we have some tips on how to start a DIY recipe journal here and now.
Step 1. Pick Your Journal
Before you start adding your precious recipes, it’s important to pick the format of the journal that works best for you. After all, it is crucial that you actually feel inspired to deal with the cookbook. Just like in times when you were in college, working on Hamlet or Who Am I essay, and needed a notebook that was comfortable to deal with. Here’s something to choose from:
- Blank or dotted notebook. If you are a cooking guru who needs and loves the freedom to sketch your own layouts, this is the go-to option.
- Bullet journal. Go for this one if you’re from the camps of organized foodies who want structure with flexibility.
- Binder or recipe cards. Do you like rearranging recipes or printing them? Binder or recipe cards rock.
- Digital tablet journal. If you have piles of handwritten notes and photos, you can combine them using a digital tablet journal.
Step 2. Just Title It!
Since you are dealing with a DIY recipe book, the title can be literally any. It can be as funny, clever, or even weird as…you are! Below, we have a couple of categories of titles that you are welcome to find your muse among.
For a funny title, pick something like this:
- Oops! Still Tastes Good
- Whisk Me Away: Adventures in Questionable Cooking
- The Lazy Gourmet: Meals I Actually Had Energy to Make
- Stir-Crazy: Dishes for Desperate Ones
- Burnt Offerings
- Recipes That Almost Survived the Oven
- Cooking Under the Hunger
- Measure? Never Heard of That
- Kitchen Disasters That Turned Out Yummy
For the fans of classy stuff:
- A Culinary Journey of [Name]
- Recipes for Every Table
- Seasons of Taste: Cooking Through the Year
- The Secret Ingredient Is Love
- Elegant Recipes for the First Romantic Dinner Together
- Extraordinary Meals with Simple Ingredients
- Recipes from My Italian Nonna
Are you more into weird ones? Check out these:
- Recipes I Made While Avoiding Adulthood
- Culinary Experiments Gone… Kinda Okay
- It Can Be Edible (I Hope)
- Emotional Support Snacks
- Do This When Mercury Is in Retrograde
- Meals for a Broken Heart
- Eat This Before It Eats You
Step 3. Write a “I Welcome You, Reader…” Message
It’s something that you can skip, of course. However, writing an opening paragraph is a great way to welcome your (potential) readers, dedicate your DIY recipe book to your special someone, or simply set the tone for the whole thing.
If you do not know what to include, we have a few ideas for you:
- Words of inspiration;
- Recipes’ backstory;
- Welcoming words for those who may contribute to your journal.
It’s up to you to choose what you would like to say. Just remember that an opening message should be like a hook that will inspire your readers to keep on investigating your cooking routine.
Step 4. Think of Layouts
Before we dive into the sections, make sure you actually use a sturdy notebook with thick pages that can handle splashes, grease stains, and a little love from the kitchen.
OK, so to keep things easy to reach and browse, it is recommended to divide your journal into sections. You are welcome to use tabs, colored markers, or washi tape. To help you with the ideas, we provided the following sections:
- Appetizers & Snacks
- Main Dishes
- Desserts & Sweet Treats
- Breakfast & Brunch
- Sauces, Dips & Marinades
- Drinks & Smoothies
- Family Favorites
- Recipes to Try
If there are gazillions of recipes, it is better to include the section with a Table of Contents at the front so you (or someone else) can find everything easily.
Plus, you have to think of the special layout for your recipes as well. The clearer it is, the easier it’ll be to navigate it and repeat. The simplest format (we believe) is the one below:
The Title of Your Edible Masterpiece
Date / Source (if any)
Ingredients:
- List them (do it in order of use)
- Add notes
Instructions:
- Provide every step with a number for clarity.
- Add time estimates (for example, bake for 40 minutes).
Notes and other info:
If there are some substitutions, alternatives, or improvements to the recipe, provide them in this section.
Rating:
For example, you can give **** to every recipe based on how much you liked it, how easy it was to deal with the process, etc.
For the sentimental souls, we recommend also including a small section called “Cooking Memories.” When or where did you make the dish? Did your family members love it? Is there anything in the process of cooking that you would like to change next time?
Step 5. Have a Story to Tell
Who said a recipe book should include…recipes only? It can be more than that! Our special recommendation is to turn it into some sort of a diary that can tell your unique story through food. If you do not know where to start, our prompts (tried and tested by us!) will help:
- “This recipe reminds me of…”
- “The first time I tried this was…”
- “I learned this from…”
- “I cooked it with my mom/dad/granny…”
- “Perfect for Christmas:…”
- “We were on vacation in [place] when we cooked it…”
Do not be lazy to tell a bit of your story next time you work on this or that recipe! These short bits of information instantly turn your recipe book into a time capsule of your cooking memories.
Finally, add some creative ‘ingredients’ to your DIY cookbook. It can be literally anything from photos, little icons, herbs, doodles, and utensils to colored tabs, stars, and, well, anything that becomes a reflection of you.
