These eight simple steps for crafting a family reunion cookbook are so easy, that you’ll be creating a culinary family heirloom in no time
Think back to a delicious dish from your childhood that perhaps came from a previous family reunion cookbook. Try to remember the smells, the tastes and the sounds of satisfaction as it was eaten. Can you remember the ingredients of this dish? Do you remember the recipe? Often, recipes are lost as they’re passed verbally through generations. Because food has the power to invoke nostalgic memories, celebrate shared histories, and bring people together, we want to help your family keep these heirlooms documented forever. One timeless way to preserve these memories is by compiling a family reunion cookbook. In this article, we’ll explore the ways you can compile a cookbook that captures your family’s unique culinary heritage.
Discover more family reunion insight and planning advice when you subscribe for FREE to Destination Reunions.
Step 1: Understand your family reunion cookbook’s purpose
It’s important to first grasp what your intentions are for your family reunion cookbook. Do you want to create a sophisticated hardcover just for Grandma? Or do you want to print 20 magazine-style soft covers for everyone to have? Envisioning this purpose will allow you to better organize and format this reunion cookbook. Once you have these ideas conceptualized, you can start planning the style and theme.
A gift for Grandma that includes cherished recipes and loving photographs. Photo credit: Sarah Yeoman/Savor Custom Cookbooks
Step 2: Gather family recipes
Reach out to family members and request their favorite recipes. Encourage contributors to share stories, memories, and photos associated with the dishes. This adds a personal touch and also preserves the narrative behind each recipe. This also gives you an excuse to bring everyone together to reflect on memories!
Step 3: Choose a layout and design specific to cookbooks
When making a book of any kind, there are many options that allow you to format and print books of your liking.
For an experience forward cookbook creation, we recommend the stylish option, Savor Custom Cookbooks. This cookbook is not only a book, but also an experience. With this option, Savor Cookbooks offers a professional photo session in your own kitchen, custom design hardcover cookbooks, and a welcome box!
For a more affordable cookbook creation, we recommend Blurb, a publishing site that allows you to easily build and design your own cookbook. On this platform, you are able to customize every aspect of the book, and you can order more as needed.
Step 4: Organize and categorize the content
Once you have your design platform and family recipes, organize them into categories. Common sections may include appetizers, main dishes, sides, desserts, and beverages. You can also add special categories for family traditions, holidays, cultural recipes, or signature dishes that define your family. Begin organizing these into the publishing platform.
Organize your family reunion cookbook into appropriate sections to easily find family recipes. Photo credit: SOCIAL.CUT/Unsplash
Step 5: Incorporate additional family memories
A family reunion cookbook is more than just a compilation of recipes; it’s a living testament to the shared experiences, traditions, and stories that make your family unique. Bring out the photo albums and memory boxes as you search for mementos to enhance your cookbooks. Think of it as an interactive scrapbook. You could include family pictures, personal stories, and scans of handwritten recipes. If you have a photo of someone cooking or eating the dish, you can pair those photos with the recipes. You can scan handwritten recipe cards and include them next to the typed ones. By incorporating familial mementos, this cookbook can capture the uniqueness of your family and food’s role in bringing everyone together.
Step 6: Include personal tips and tricks
Consider adding a section dedicated to secret cooking tips and tricks passed down by experienced family members. Maybe there is a genius time-saving technique that your grandma uses and internet recipes just don’t know about. This section can be all about ingredient substitutions and hidden family methods that you wouldn’t know unless you ask. Now, they can be documented for years to come, so everyone in the family is in on it!
Step 7: Proofread and edit
Before finalizing your family reunion cookbook, carefully proofread and revise the content. When doing so, make sure measurements are consistent and recipes are accurate. In this step, put the finishing touches on your cookbook as you refine the narratives and add any missing pieces.
Edit your work before having it printed! Photo credit: Sarah Yeoman/Savor Custom Cookbooks
Step 8: Enjoy!
Allow this family reunion cookbook to be an excuse to actually bring the family together. Gather everybody, cook recipes from the cookbook, and share your creation over a delicious and special meal. Flip through the pages as you eat what you’re reading and allow this moment to be an opportunity to reflect on the joy, stories, and unity that food will forever serve in your family’s narrative.
Creating a family reunion cookbook enhances not only your future reunions, but it adds an invaluable family heirloom encapsulating heritage through food.
Explore more family-friendly trip ideas and planning assistance when you subscribe for FREE to Destination Reunions.
By Elise Mackanych, Contributing Writer
Header photo credit: Sarah Yeoman and Savor Custom Cookbooks
