Best Recipe Management Software

[Steve Kroll]

My wife and I spent much of the weekend going through storage and ran across some of my mother's and grandmother's old recipes. Of course they were all on handwritten cards and stuffed into various boxes. No method to the organization that I could see, though I'm sure mom would've been able to find anything she wanted.

I would love to take these and move them into 21st century digital format, along with a number of recipes I have simply typed into Windows Notepad or Word.

Does anyone have a favorite recipe management program - preferably for PC, since that's what I own? I used to use MasterCook several years ago. It was ok, but would sometimes crash or not print.

I'm just wondering if there's anything better out there now...

 

[Andy M.]

Steve, check out the cookbooks and software forum located here: Cookbooks, Software etc. - Discuss Cooking - Cooking Forums Lots of good info there.

I don't use recipe software except to calculate nutritional values.

I just type recipe into WORD in a standard format and file recipes in folders that parallel cookbook categories (meat, sauces, poultry, pasta, etc.). All these folders are in a RECIPES folder in MY DOCUMENTS.

 

[CWS4322]

I scan mine and have pdfs of the recipes. I have a free-ware information index software that lets me search across the entire directory at once for ingredients, etc. Works for me.

 

[Steve Kroll]

Completely didn't see the software section... thanks for that! I'll go have a browse.

 

[Oldvine]

I tried several methods for old recipes, clipped recipes and shared recipes. So far the best method for my kitchen is a small 2 drawer file cabinet and jacket type file folders. There more to life than transferring recipes. Files are labeled like cook book chapters. A section of my pantry, 30" wide, floor to ceiling, is a book shelf for cook books, some need to be two deep. I'm terrible.

 

[bakechef]

I like to upload to google docs. You can upload just about any format, PDF,.doc etc...

I made folders and such to keep organized.

I like this method because I can access my recipes anywhere, even on my smartphone. I have an old laptop in the kitchen with Ubuntu Linux on it (rescued old computer with new hard drive and needed a free OS) so I can input the recipes from a comfortable place and access them in the kitchen, along with any recipe that I want from the internet.

Google docs is very easily searchable.

I like this method as it is stored in the "cloud" and I don't have to worry about backing up the computer regularly. I use this for all my documents and photos.

 

[Zhizara]

I like to upload to google docs. You can upload just about any format, PDF,.doc etc...

I made folders and such to keep organized.

I like this method because I can access my recipes anywhere, even on my smartphone. I have an old laptop in the kitchen with Ubuntu Linux on it (rescued old computer with new hard drive and needed a free OS) so I can input the recipes from a comfortable place and access them in the kitchen, along with any recipe that I want from the internet.

Google docs is very easily searchable.

I like this method as it is stored in the "cloud" and I don't have to worry about backing up the computer regularly. I use this for all my documents and photos.

I never heard of google docs. Sounds like a good idea. I'll check it out.

 

[mcnerd]

I have been using Living Cookbook for the past year or so and absolutely love it. I print out my recipes on a half sheet and place in 7"x9" 3-ring binders. Before that I was a long time user of MasterCook but they lost their programmer and over the years it got less and less support or updates.

 

[CWS4322]

I move my laptop to the kitchen and call up the recipe...trying to reduce the amount of paper in my life...and, I backup my computers regularly on m-sticks.

 

[Silversage]

I have been using Living Cookbook for the past year or so and absolutely love it. I print out my recipes on a half sheet and place in 7"x9" 3-ring binders. Before that I was a long time user of MasterCook but they lost their programmer and over the years it got less and less support or updates.

+1 for Living Cookbook. I love it.