How do you store/keep your recipes?

Puppy Lips · ‎05-09-2010

Hello all of you. I have a big project looming in front of me, and that is re-organizing all my recipes. But, I am not a cook or baker, in any sense of the word. But that has not stopped me from collecting recipes all these years for the "some day" when I might be more interested. I have a lot of cookbooks, which is not a problem. But I also have recipe cards, cut outs from newspapers and cut out from magazines. I started to put those in binders years ago, but now I have more than what will fit in the binder. Frankly, I have tried very few of the recipes I have saved, so I don't know why I should bother. Should I just throw them all out?

What do you all do? Do you hang onto recipes forever? Do you re-write them on cards? How do you store them? Thanks for any help or suggestions you can give me!

Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else. Margaret Mead

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

The stuff I have that's not part of its own cookbook (like magazine pages, cards, stuff I've printed from online, or the recipes I've written and typed up), I have in a big binder.

I got some of those plastic sheets that you put the paper inside, to keep it pristine. If you have small pieces of paper you can situate more than one in there, plus you have two sides and can put them together with a piece of paper in the middle and just tape the small ones to the paper to keep them in one place.

I got some of those divider sheets and tabs (anywhere on the office supplies aisle) and categorized them.

A regular-sized three-ring binder (mine is 2" thick) will hold a LOT of two-sided pages. Plus there are pockets inside the front and back covers so I have little things in those or things I might use all the time.

topazzz · ‎05-24-2010

On 2/26/2014 chickenbutt said:
The stuff I have that's not part of its own cookbook (like magazine pages, cards, stuff I've printed from online, or the recipes I've written and typed up), I have in a big binder.

I got some of those plastic sheets that you put the paper inside, to keep it pristine. If you have small pieces of paper you can situate more than one in there, plus you have two sides and can put them together with a piece of paper in the middle and just tape the small ones to the paper to keep them in one place.

I got some of those divider sheets and tabs (anywhere on the office supplies aisle) and categorized them.

A regular-sized three-ring binder (mine is 2" thick) will hold a LOT of two-sided pages. Plus there are pockets inside the front and back covers so I have little things in those or things I might use all the time.

Well, thanks CHICKENBUTT for making this easy for me! I was pretty much going to say the same thing. I have been so happy with my new recipe binders. I have two of them - one is for my "clean" eating recipes (both entrees and desserts), the second for all the rest of the typical recipes, also separated by entrees, desserts. I have them all in plastic and put them in back to back with similar types of ingredients.

Of the ones I've cut out of magazines, etc., I either glue or tape them onto a sheet of paper with like-recipes, then put in a plastic sleeve - or sometimes I just re-type them if I'm in the mood to do so. I have put large vertical label on each spine of the binder to easily see what I am wanting to use.

Anyway, it was a long time coming and I did all of this just before Christmas this last year. Should have done it a long time ago!!

Good luck w/your project!!

FastDogWalker2 · ‎03-10-2010

I keep mine in binders in clear pockets by recipe type, i.e. desserts, casseroles, tried and try (!), etc. I keep the binders, I have 2, in the cupboard with my cookbooks.

chickenbutt · ‎03-09-2010

What is nice is that you can make it however you want it, to suit your own needs.

I love the plastic sleeves. They have the three holes in them already, on a reinforced area along the left side. I find them to be very durable. You can get a whole package of like a zillion of them for pretty inexpensive. I don't remember where I got mine, but there's a good chance it was on Amazon.

happycat · ‎09-18-2010

On 2/26/2014 chickenbutt said:
The stuff I have that's not part of its own cookbook (like magazine pages, cards, stuff I've printed from online, or the recipes I've written and typed up), I have in a big binder.

I got some of those plastic sheets that you put the paper inside, to keep it pristine. If you have small pieces of paper you can situate more than one in there, plus you have two sides and can put them together with a piece of paper in the middle and just tape the small ones to the paper to keep them in one place.

I got some of those divider sheets and tabs (anywhere on the office supplies aisle) and categorized them.

A regular-sized three-ring binder (mine is 2" thick) will hold a LOT of two-sided pages. Plus there are pockets inside the front and back covers so I have little things in those or things I might use all the time.

I think this is a wonderful idea and may be my next project. My recipes are in a recipe box and not in order, and the box is overflowing. Not very organized at all.

stilltamn8r · ‎03-14-2010

I have about 8 binders, and I keep them on a shelf in the garage- which is conveniently attached to my kitchen! this is also where I keep the decades of those small "Pillsbury" type cookbook/magazines you get at the checkout counter at the market...

glmama · ‎03-09-2010

For years now I've kept my recipes in 3-ring binders. I have 2 big ones, packed to the brim and often overflowing. I use the clear, plastic sleeves to store the recipes inside the binders. One is used for savory items, one for breakfast and sweets. I go thru them ever so often and clean them up--tucking everything back into sleeves, etc. my recipe binders include family and friends shared recipes, stuff from various websites, magazine clippings, my own recipes/concoctions/ways of doing things, etc.

DiAnne · ‎09-22-2010

I don't like a computer in the kitchen so I do pretty much what everyone else is doing expect that I bought a package of 1 inch binder at Costco and labeled them appetizer, salads, soups, etc. I use the sheet protectors that I also got at Costco. My recipes do not go into the binders until after I have tried them and liked them. I have one of those alphabetical folders that I keep all the recipes I have printed, torn out of magazines, etc. Every once in awhile I will go through them while watching TV - some I wonder why I ever saved - dispose of those.