3 Easy Ways To Pass Down Family Recipes

Who doesn’t love a “where did you get this recipe?!” and the “can you send this recipe to me?!”. Those questions almost always stem from that signature family dish you bring to an event. Learning how to pass down family recipes is the key ingredient to keeping those conversations going from generation to generation.

I have good news and bad news. The good news: it’s never been easier to pass down family recipes in this world of technology. You no longer have to worry about recipe cards being illegible or damaged.

The bad news: recipe creation is being impacted by AI. Recipes are no longer coming from Grandma, instead, they are coming from computers who measure ingredients to the ‘T’. That means that Grandma’s pinch of salt and dash of sugar is getting lost in this world of technology.

To put it simply, there are no excuses for not passing down your family recipes. It’s becoming more important to know how to replicate Grandma’s famous dishes than ever before. What isn’t documented in today’s day and age will surely get lost as the world continues to shift online.

In this article, we’re going to look at 3 simple ways you can pass down family recipes to ensure your recipes are alive for generations to come.

3 Simple Ways To Pass Down Family Recipes

I’d like to share 3 simple ways to pass down family recipes, but before that, I want to emphasize the significance of preserving the handwriting of the recipe owner. To keep the “family” in “family recipes,” it’s important to maintain the original handwriting of the person who wrote it (in my opinion). Therefore, the tips that I will provide aim to ensure that the original handwriting is preserved and seen.

1. Laminate Your Handwritten Recipe Cards

Laminating the handwritten recipe cards that have been passed down from your family is a great way to preserve the authenticity of your recipes. Laminating the recipe cards helps prevent any damage or wear and tear when you’re cooking, keeping the original handwriting preserved for years to come.

When I want to preserve my Grandmother’s secret recipes, I ask her to write them down for me. Then, I laminate them and store them in a recipe box in my kitchen. This is hands-down, my absolute favorite way to preserve and pass down family recipes.

2. Upload Photos Of Your Recipe Cards To A Google Drive

Uploading photos of your recipe cards to a shared drive or cloud is another fantastic way to pass down your family recipes. In our world of technology, this seems to be the ideal way to ensure your family recipes don’t get lost or forgotten.

I suggest taking a photo of your recipe cards to preserve the handwriting of the original owner. This is similar to our first suggestion above, except this one uses technology! Use these three simple steps below and you’re well on your way to passing down family recipes!

1. Using your Google account, create a Google Drive titled “Family Recipe Cards.“
2. Inside of your Google Drive, create folders for how you want to categorize your recipes. This could be by course (breakfast, lunch, dinner, dessert), by recipe owner (recipes by Grandma, recipes by Mom), or any other way you want to categorize your recipes!
3. The final step is to write out your recipes on recipe cards and take a photo of the card. You’ll then upload those photos to your computer and place them in the appropriate folder!

3. Start A Blog!

I’ll be honest, I may be a bit biased on this suggestion. Starting a blog may be the most fun way to pass down family recipes. Why? BECAUSE YOU GET TO SHARE THEM WITH THE WORLD! What’s a good recipe if you don’t share it with everyone!?

Blogging has become increasingly popular since the global pandemic, and for good reason. Not only can it lead to financial freedom, but it allows you to create a food legacy for yourself and your family. If you have the entrepreneurial itch, starting a blog may be perfect for you.

Starting a blog to pass down family recipes takes the most work out of the suggestions listed in this article, but it gives you a chance to share your special recipes with everyone. It’s a powerful feeling knowing that other people are enjoying the same family dishes that you’ve created.

Final Thoughts

Passing down family recipes has been a huge part of my life. Many of the amazing recipes I make are from family members. There’s nothing better than opening my recipe box and pulling out a handwritten recipe card. It brings a piece of them to my kitchen each and every time, and I’m reminded of the memories we shared cooking those same recipes.

I encourage you to preserve and pass down your recipes. It’s a way to leave your cooking legacy and ensure your recipes are made for generations to come. Family recipes are a huge part of Tide & Thyme. If you’re interested in learning more, head over to our blog!

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