Welcome! I've been sharing the cherished recipes and stories of my podcast guests for over 5 years, 180 episodes, and 200 recipes!
Now, I'm honored to guide YOU through creating the perfect family recipe book for your own heirloom recipes!
How To Use This Guide
Read the entire guide through one time. Then, pull out a calendar and schedule time to complete each step. (Unless you're really short on time - then, simply download my DIY Handwritten Storied Recipe Book Template). Enjoy the process!
T - Target: Audience, timeline, budget
Step 1: Decide who this recipe book is for.
Here are some questions to consider:
- Is this book just for you? Is it to make your life a little easier and more organized?
- OR will your children, siblings, parents, or extended family treasure this recipe book?
- Will you gift this to a wider audience? Teachers, co-workers, or community members?
The answers to the previous questions will help you make the following decisions:
- How many copies will you print and distribute?
- How easily do you need to be able to print additional copies later?
- Are you simply aggregating personal recipes into a notebook?
- Or are you recording cherished memories, preserving your family heritage, and safeguarding vanishing traditions for a larger group of people?
- Determine your audience: Is this for just your family, a wider group, or a gift to others?
- Consider how many copies you need and whether you need to print more in the future.
- Decide on the scope: Is this more of a simple recipe book or one that preserves cherished memories and family heritage?
Step 2: Determine a time budget.
Here are a few more questions to consider:
- How many minutes can you devote per week to this project?
- How many weeks before you need to complete your cookbook?
This can be something you whip out in an evening! Or, it can turn into a fun project that fills your free time for weeks, months, or years.
Beware of project creep. Use this guide to make realistic decisions and then stick to them. This process should be a joy to create, not a burden!
If you're showing up here on December 23rd, just in time to create a meaningful Christmas gift for your mom... that's ok! Just print out my DIY handwritten template, jot down a few treasured recipes, and tie it up with a pretty ribbon!
- Reflect on how much time you can dedicate to this project and how long it will take to finish based on your availability.
- Set realistic goals to avoid project creep and keep the process enjoyable.
Step 3: Determine a monetary budget.
You can create a valuable family recipe book for FREE! Or, you can spend thousands of dollars. Any budget will work, just as long as its the correct budget for you.
Here are a few questions to consider:
- What are you willing to spend personally?
- Are any other recipients willing to chip in financially?
- Are you working on this project with anyone who has skills (interview skills, writing skills, photography skill, graphic design) that they'd be willing to donate?
- Will you be selling your book (for a fundraiser or for profit)? How much will you be selling each copy for?
- Define how much you are willing to spend and who might contribute to the cost (family members, collaborators, etc.).
- Consider the final price if selling for fundraising or profit.
A - Architect: Printer, structure, templates
Step 4: Choose a Printing Company
Armed with your time and financial budgets, you can choose the perfect printer for your project. Here are a few options:
No Printing Company - Use Your Own Printer with Copier
PROS
- This is the lowest cost option
- This is a great option for my DIY Handwritten Recipe Book Kit. Simply print the pages, fill in with a simple pen, and make as many copies as you'd like.
CONS
- Generally, home printers or copiers don't handle images well.
- If you have multiple colors in your book, you can run through printer cartridges very quickly.
BEST FOR THOSE...
- In a rush (less than a week).
- On a low budget (under $100).
- Sharing 5 or fewer recipes with 10 or fewer people.
- Those using my DIY Handwritten Recipe Book Kit. Simply print the pages, fill in with a simple pen, and make as many copies as you'd like.
Local Printing Services with Pickup or Delivery
I'm talking here about places like Staples or other brick and mortar printing shops. (For instance, High Starr Copying Services is right by me).
PROS
- These can be very quick - as in, same day. (Call ahead to check).
- These printing services will generally be able to handle full color photographs.
- Local printers often offer a wide range of binding services OR provide you with loose copies that you can collate into your own binders.
- In-person services also allow you to see a test page before printing.
CONS
- You often pay for the convenience. These local shops are generally more expensive than the next option
- While spending a decent amount of money, the binding services are not generally high quality.
BEST FOR THOSE...
- In a rush (1 to 4 weeks).
- With a budget of $100 to $200.
- Comfortable using online design programs, like Canva or InDesign.
- Those chronicling 10 or fewer recipes and sharing with 10 or fewer people.
- Those more comfortable with personalized attention and the ability to see a test print before committing.
Inexpensive Bulk Online Printing Services
There are several online printing services that have no expertise in photo books or cookbooks, but they are are cheap and quick. Vistaprint is a good option. You can use their booklet product.
PROS
- These usually have discounts when you order in bulk, so they're a great option for really large orders - So they're great for a community group, school fundraiser, cultural society, etc;
- Photographs will look ok - acceptable, but not great.
CONS
- Quality can be inconsistent and there's no way to get a physical proof in advance.
BEST FOR THOSE...
- With at least 4 weeks to create, print, and receive their recipe books.
- Distributing a large number of books (more than 25) or those printing recipe books for fundraisers. Everything at Vistaprint gets cheaper as your order size increases.
- Comfortable using online design programs, like Canva or InDesign.
Online Photo Book Printers That Don't Specialize in Cookbooks:
Some of the big photo printing services are moving into the cookbook space. For instance, Shutterfly offers two cookbook templates: The Classic and The Whimsical.
PROS
- If your book will be photo heavy (I'm getting to the photography part of the project!), you want a printer like Shutterfly or Mpix.com that has their printers optimized for printing images.
- These sites save your projects forever, so you can always go back and print more books later.
CONS
- No bulk discounts as you print additional books.
- Warning: I have noticed that these books break down fairly quickly. I have dozens of photos books from Shutterfly and Mpix, ranging from soft cover, hard cover, small, medium, and large. Without exception, all of them have pages torn out or broken bindings within several years.
BEST FOR THOSE...
- With at least 4 weeks to create, print, and receive their recipe books.
- Including images of people, places, ingredients, or dishes.
- Comfortable using online design programs, like Canva or InDesign.
- Printing a limited number of books OR each recipient is going to pay for their own book.
- Who will likely print additional cookbooks in future months or years.
Service That Publishes Professional Family Cookbooks
There are several services out that that do most or all of the legwork for you AND provide you, in the end, with gorgeous, professional quality cookbooks.
PROS
- The quality!!! Nothing listed above will even touch the quality of books that these services print.
- Once you've gathered the recipes, stories, and images, they take care of the rest!!
CONS
- I could list price as a con.
- However, considering the time you save by having these professionals design and format the book, I consider the value to be greatest in this option.
BEST FOR THOSE
- With a large number of recipes (you can share up to 100 recipes with some companies).
- Uncomfortable with graphic design OR who don't have time to format OR those who want a professional design.
- With a small distribution list OR a list who are willing to pay a premium price for the final book.
Step 5: Choose (or create) templates for your recipe and story pages
- Use a free handwritten template.
- Use free and customizable Canva recipe book templates. These will work best for ALL options except the premium printers that specialize in cookbooks.
- Create your own templates in Canva, InDesign, or another graphic design product.
- If you choose a service that specializes in printing cookbooks, you'll use their templates.
S - Source: Recipes, stories, photos
Step 6: Gather Your Recipes
How many recipes are you going to include? This depends on your previous decisions. Each recipe adds more time and money to your project. Here are some estimates to consider:
Time estimates for EACH recipe:
- Count on a half day to 2 days to test every recipe. If you just need to make sure you understand the directions, 1/2 day will be enough. If there are no measurements associated with the recipe, you'll need up to 2 days to try the recipe a couple of times and to figure out measurements.
- Set aside 30 minutes to copy the recipe into your chosen template.
- Plan 90 minutes for every recipe you're going to photograph.
TOP TIP: To make this process simple for everyone involved, use Google forms to collect recipes - and, of course, the stories behind them!
Step 7: Gather the stories behind your recipes
- Recipes are more than ingredients and instructions. They contain memories of different times and places. They're artifacts of culture and memories of celebrations. Most of all, recipes are the legacy of those who loved us through their cooking.
- Schedule a time to talk to people who will know about these recipes. Leave more time than you think you need. I'd recommend at least 2 hours.
- Remember that food opens doors to relationships. Even if this is someone that you've had a tough time with, this can be a healing conversation. Approach the conversation with a commitment to hear their story.
- Jot down your questions in advance. (Download my freebie below - I've used ALL of these questions when planning interviews with my podcast guests!)
- Bring a microphone or just your phone to record the conversation - or perhaps a journal to take notes.
Step 8: Gather and Take Photos
- Photos are by no means necessary for your family cookbook
- However, photos can add a lot! And they don't just need to be photos of the dish - here are a few other things you can take pictures of:
- The place where the recipe came from - a homeland, a vacation spot, church, community center, or childhood kitchen
- The main ingredient, especially if its a special ingredient
- The creator (or maker) of the recipe
- Family photos
- Photos from celebrations where the event was held - - or every recipe - it will be even more special to have a picture of your dish or the creator of that dish.
- If you want to take photos, I'd say a good rule of thumb is to set aside at least 2 hours for each dish.
- Below, I've distilled the most critical food photography knowledge that I've gained over 15 years into 3 helpful guides.
- If your budget or time is tight, a good option would be to look through your own photos or family photos first to see if you already have pictures of the recipe in mind. Chances are if it is one of your favorite recipes you will probably have a picture of it.
- Also, if you have a family reunion or holiday coming up where everyone is gathering, that would be a great opportunity to tell everyone to bring any pictures they have of a dish, especially if it includes pictures of the family member associated with that dish.
The Fast Guide to Flawless Food Photos
Get 3 guides in one -
Learn about light and composition Food Photography Fundamentals, every single tip I could think to share about How to Make Ugly Food Beautiful (my specialty!), and
15 Years of Food Photography Experience All in ONE Guide
Learn to take gorgeous photos of every recipe with any camera.
T - Tailor: Layouts, finalize designs
Step 9: Fill in your templates.
- You chose your templates in step 6. You have your recipes and your stories. You've even taken photos.
- Now, it's time to transfer all of this information into your templates.
- This is the fun part. Take your time and enjoy the process!
- Input your finalized recipes, stories, and photos into the chosen templates.
- Take your time with layout and design to ensure it aligns with your vision for the cookbook.
Step 10: Production!
- Let the drafts of your family's food stories sit for a day or so, then go back and proofread them.
- Send a copy to a friend or family member with fresh eyes.
- Don't fret too much! The best part about family recipes is the authenticity, heritage, and stories surrounding the foods that are being passed down through generations to continue giving life to these family members through their collection of recipes that are unique to your family.
E - Embellish & Enjoy: Print, package, distribute
Step 11: Package and share
- For handwritten books, add a personal touch by wrapping them with ribbons and tissue paper.
- Consider including a homemade treat from the book as part of the gift.
- Distribute the books and take pride in preserving your family’s culinary heritage for future generations.