You’ve probably collected a lot of recipes over the years. How do you store them; in boxes, binders, notebooks? When was the last time you knew you had seen that recipe somewhere, and then couldn’t find it when you wanted to head to the grocery store? To help you keep track of all those recipes you see in books, magazines, or online, here are 8 smart ways to organize them.
1. Book Darts
Book Darts are made of very thin metal. Next time you see a recipe in a magazine, put one on the page to mark it. They hang onto the page just like a paperclip. And since Book Darts come in 3 different shades, you can use different colors for different types of recipes.
2. Catalogue Your Cookbooks
How you organize your cookbooks will depend on what types you have, and how many. They don’t have to be alphabetical! Try arranging them by culture, types of food (like desserts or barbecue, or how often you use them.
3. Create a Cookbook Nook
If you’re tired of walking into the living room or den to find cookbooks, why not install a shelf in your kitchen for your most-used copies? Just don’t put them too near the stove or the sink, where they can get wet and dirty. If you’re short on space, install some hooks on the bottom of the shelf, and make sure its hung sturdy enough to pull double duty as a rack for pots or mugs.
4. Store Clipped Recipes in a Binder
Do you clip recipes from magazines or the newspaper? Try categorizing them in a binder with sheet protectors. You might even want to use a pre-made photo book for those small clipped recipes.
5. Unload Old Cookbooks
Chances are, you have at least a few old cookbooks that you hardly ever use. But maybe there are 2 or 3 gems in there that you’d like to keep, so you hold onto the entire book. Well, there’s no reason why you can’t cut those recipes out and put them in a book with your other clippings. You could also scan them and file them away electronically.
6. Paprika App
If you’re primarily an online recipe saver, there’s an app you should know about: Paprika. Simply copy the web address, and when you open Paprika, it’ll ask if you want to save that recipe. Tap save, choose categories, and you’re done. Your recipe will be saved, usually with any photos intact. There is also a handy search engine that will help you find recipes. I’ve been migrating my recipes over to Paprika from Pinterest as I make them. And the best part? Paprika keeps your phone awake for you while you’re cooking…no more messy fingerprints trying to bring your screen back to life! The app costs a few bucks (more if you get the computer version, but you don’t need it). As someone who hates paying for apps, I think Paprika was money well spent!
7. Evernote
Another app or computer tool, Evernote lets you save any recipes, articles, etc. you find online and “clip” them to any “notebook” you want. You can customize your categories, and anything you save will be available on all your devices.
8. DIY Organizer
If you want to keep your fave recipes all in ONE single organizer, here’s a great idea for setting up your own. You’ll never lose one again!
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