How To Create A Custom Photo Book With Your Family Recipes

by Alex Melen on January 23, 2023

Creating a custom recipe book with your family's treasured recipes can be a meaningful and fun way to preserve memories for generations. With a few simple steps, anyone can make a unique collection of photos and recipes that will become an heirloom piece for the entire family. 

Gather the Recipes

Creating a custom photo book filled with your family recipes is an excellent way to preserve cherished memories. To create this unique culinary keepsake as easy as possible, it's important to take the time and gather your recipes first. Start by collecting handwritten recipe cards you may have tucked away in drawers or cupboards. Then ask other family members for their favorite dishes and look for digital copies of those recipes online. You can also search through old cookbooks or magazines stored in the attic, these often contain traditional family favorites! 

Once your recipes are gathered, convert them into a file format, such as Word or PDF, so they can be included in your recipes book layout later.

Collect the Photos

The second step in creating this book is finding pictures to accompany each recipe. Photos of the finished dish or family members preparing it can bring back old memories and make the book more meaningful. Search old photos to find images you want to include in your book. You may have pictures from holidays, vacations, or just everyday moments that capture a certain memory. These are perfect additions for your custom book! If you don’t have photos relevant to specific family recipes, consider staging some scenes with props and dishes. This is a fun, creative way of capturing the spirit behind each recipe!

Choose a Format

The third step is to decide which format best suits your project.  When selecting a format for your family recipe book, spiral-bound books are more affordable, but may not have the longevity of other formats. Hardcover books offer more protection from wear and tear while still allowing flexibility in design options. Softcover books are lightweight, and allow for easy transport, but can be less durable than hardcover books over time. There’s an array of digital options available as well, if you prefer creating an online version of the book instead of a physical one.

Design a layout

The fourth step in creating a custom photo book is designing a layout. This allows for flexible project customization, as you choose where each recipe is displayed on the page, and which photos will accompany them. Consider including images of those who created the recipe, or photos that capture the spirit of your family gatherings over the years. When designing your layout, ensure all elements are factored in: text size and font, background colors, margins and borders, sizes of photos, etc. 

Print them Out

Once you have your selection, it's time to print them out on cardstock or regular paper. This gives each recipe a more defined look and ensures they don't fade over time. After the recipes are printed, it's time for the final step: assembly! Gather craft supplies such as scissors, glue sticks, and ribbon, and arrange each page into an album-style format before slipping them into clear page protectors.

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