I’ve finally got a system figured out for easy meal planning based on what I already have stocked and what’s on sale that week. Each week I pick one chicken, one beef, and one other main dish and then select starches and veggies to go along. Most weeks I bake one or two items as well.
I have a binder with 8 section dividers that I put my recipes in, mostly magazine tear outs or internet print outs that I stick in sheet protectors. The 8 sections are:
- chicken
- beef
- other meats
- non-meat main dishes
- starch sides
- salads
- vegetables
- desserts
On the computer I catalog those recipes along with recipes from my cookbooks sorted in the same manner, I include any notes I may want to refer back to such as cookbook, page, seasonal notes, or changes to the recipe that should be made after the name of the item. (I use Textedit – which is the Mac version of Notepad.) I format my file like an outline. My 8 tabs from my binder are the top level headings. Below each of those recipes are sorted by the cut of meat, vegetable, fruit, starch, or other main ingredient they require. This lets me quickly find a recipe based on what I have stocked or what is available for a really good price at the store that week. Recipes I’ve tried and liked are changed to red and moved to the top of the section, recipes I didn’t like get deleted from the list, new recipes get added to the bottom of the section in black. Here’s a glimpse of the dessert section of my file (yes I admit almost half my recipes are desserts):
How do you organize your recipes?
Shared in Kitchen Tip Tuesdays.
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- How to Make a Meal Plan
- 100 Chocolate Recipes
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{ 4 comments }
You are organized – that’s something I love but find little time to do. I am impressed. Great ideas…..I am just making a stop from ring around the blogs!
I use a binder system, but i need to reorganize it.
I have lots of recipes, & some i use all the time, & others rarely. I think i want a 2-binder system. One of the stuff i use all the time, & the other of recipes i may use sometime, but not necessarily frequently. Also reference material (i have a page of the types of apples, etc.) I love the binder system where i just remove a page & it is plastic covered. I hang it above my work area, & if it gets splattered, it just wipes off. It is great!
I wish I could blink my eyes or wiggle my nose and have my recipes sorted!
You have a great system, thanks for sharing it!
(and thanks for entering my giveaway!)
Oh what a great idea! I haven’t the least idea , until now thanks to you; how to organize my vast collection of recipes. I’m very thankful for the tutorial you’ve posted. As always, I appreciate your website and the many great postings that have improved my living.
Love and Be Well Friend,
elise
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