Kenny Rogers used to sing a great song about playing cards. The words were “you gotta know when to hold ‘em, know when to fold em…”  That is also true of family cookbooks. There comes a time when you have to make a decision to stop adding recipes and go ahead and print the family cookbook.

One of the great things about our software is that even if you print a copy of the family cookbook and circulate it to family members for their input, you haven’t invested hundreds of dollars in hardbound printing costs. In fact, you can make updates any time, revise recipes, and keep all of the family recipes electronically, and still choose only the ones you want to print, when you want to print them.

This is a great option for those of you who can’t decide what recipes to include in the finished family cookbook, whether for sentimental, political or practical reasons.

How do you know when your family cookbook is “done”?  Here are five ways to tell:

1.  When you have no more family recipes to include.
Yep, seems simple, but often family members try to have the “perfect” family cookbook and continue to add recipes just to fill out a section. It is okay to have only one family recipe in a section. Why add a stranger’s recipe to your family cookbook?

2.  When family members begin to ask for it.
If enough time has elapsed since you collected family recipes, and family members are asking for a copy of the family cookbook, you need to go ahead and print your first edition. You can always go back and add new recipes or change existing ones and print other copies.

3. When 90% of the recipes are from the same contributors.
If you have 100 recipes and only two people have submitted them, you don’t really have a family cookbook (unless you are the only two left in the family). You basically have a co-authored cookbook, so you might consider splitting the recipes up into two volumes so each contributor has a separate cookbook of their own recipes.

4.  When you lose interest.
You started out with high hopes and enthusiasm to create a family cookbook, but have lost the rhythm you once had in adding recipes (even though our recipe templates are easy to use and technically no more complicated than sending an email).  If you cannot find the time any longer to continue your project, go ahead and print out what you do have. Give one copy to a family member to review and pass around for input from other family members.  You’ll get enthused again after everyone gives you their corrections! Guaranteed.

5. When you have run out of time.
That long-planned family reunion, birthday, or other family celebration is just a week away and you have yet to print a copy of your family cookbook. The family cookbook is to be a special gift or memento for the occasion, so you don’t have a moment to lose — get ‘er done! Remember, with Matilda’s Fantastic Cookbook Software, do-overs are always really easy!

Happy Cookbooking,

Matilda

Making a recipe book? Check out all the recipe software and cookbook binding supplies we have at CookbookPeople.com.

If you enjoyed this article, you might check out:
• Up Close & Personal With Technology-Created Family Recipe Cookbooks
• Family Recipe Cookbooks for Christmas: Start Now
• Top 7 Most Frequently Asked Questions About Our Cookbook Software

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