Organizing Recipes?

**gkp1031** · 01-22-2005, 10:28 AM

How do you organize your recipes? I have a lot of cookbooks that I keep in a cabinet that I can get to very easily (its neatly organized!). But, how about the recipes that you print off the internet or the ones you tear out of magazines?

I currently have a 3-ring binder with all of them in it, but it looks sloppy and it's hard to organize into categories--I like to be very specific!!

I don't want to keep recipes on the computer, because that isn't convenient for me, I like to have the recipe right in front of me while cooking/baking.

Any ideas?

**Mamawolf** · 01-22-2005, 10:40 AM

Like you, I currently have all my recipes in a 3-ring binder, and I just bought index dividers to divide them into seperate categories. If it's a magazine recipe, I type it on the computer and print it out so everything stays orderly, lol.

**baxjul** · 01-22-2005, 12:46 PM

I have mine in those smaller photo albums that look like 3 ring binders. I have a different album for each category: Breakfasts, Desserts, etc... It makes it easy to pick out which I want. Good luck!

**AmyMCGS** · 01-22-2005, 02:04 PM

I keep recipes I want to try but haven't made yet in a notebook with a pocket for each category. This works really well for me-- before I had them everywhere- stashed in my recipe box, on the computer desk, in cabinets, etc. Now, if I print it or cut it out and want to try it, it goes into that notebook until I've used it.

Then, after I've tried it and we like it, it gets "promoted" to my recipe box (basket, actually) with the usual 4x6 divider cards. If it an internet or other recipe that's not already on a 4x6 card, I trim it down or recopy it to fit the cards.

**kimmee** · 01-22-2005, 02:24 PM

What do you do with those recipe cards that you get in the mail - you know the ones that a part of a kit that you'll never order because it will be about $400 when you finish or you'll get half and they'll go out of business. There is usually one recipe that sounds good in the free set but its on such a nice card with a pretty pic so you don't want to toss it but it doesn't work in your binder calamity of recipes.

**QuilterMom** · 01-22-2005, 02:29 PM

I have mine in a 3 ring binder in the protective sleeves. I am very anal about how they are categorized. I don't have "Breads" - I have 'pancakes', 'waffles', 'quick breads', 'yeast breads', 'muffins', etc.

**gkp1031** · 01-22-2005, 02:32 PM

Kim--that's how I want to categorize mine!!! I need to be very specific about things, it'll make it easier when I look for something!

Amy--maybe I'll find a basket that will hold the 4x6 cards and put the recipes that I use all the time on them. Then, I can go thru the other recipes, try them out and like you if they pass the test, they go to cards too.

Kimmee--I have a few of those cards too. Right now, they are in the front pocket of my recipe binder. Not sure what to do with them!!

**Darlene** · 01-22-2005, 02:36 PM

I'm very unorganized, keepers go on 3x5 cards & into my recipe box. The rest are in a big envelope or an accordian file or sitting next to where I read magazines. They are here, there & everywhere.

**Mamawolf** · 01-22-2005, 03:55 PM

Originally posted by kimmee
What do you do with those recipe cards that you get in the mail - you know the ones that a part of a kit that you'll never order because it will be about $400 when you finish or you'll get half and they'll go out of business. There is usually one recipe that sounds good in the free set but its on such a nice card with a pretty pic so you don't want to toss it but it doesn't work in your binder calamity of recipes.

You could put it in a sheet protector and still put it in the binder. It will fit that way.