Recipe Binders & Magnetic Menu Planner - Part 1

Between Pinterest and all of the yummy food blogs out there, I could spend hours browsing through thousands of delicious recipes. The only problem is what to do with my favorites? 

This is a little embarrassing... I had so many recipes haphazardly shoved into my former binder that it never closed all the way and the binder spine was starting to tear. Digging through a giant stack of unorganized papers each time I needed to make dinner was so frustrating. It was high time for a recipe binder revamp! 

I divided all of my recipes into 7 different categories and made 5 1/2in x 8in recipe cards. Each card has 4 symbols that can be filled in to better describe what type of meal it is (30 min, one-pot, etc.). I no longer have an excuse not to cook!

Want your own?

1. First things first grab all of your recipes – all of the recipe cards and internet print-outs, the ones ripped out of magazines and written on post-its. Make sure you have enough space to go through them!

Make 2 piles "keep" & "recycle". Split the "keep" pile into 7 categories: Poultry, Beef, Vegetarian, Pork, Seafood, Soups & Sides and Desserts. 

From each category decide which recipes are your “favorites” and which ones you have yet to "try".

2. Snag (7) 1” binders from Staples along with 4 Martha Stewart Secure-Top Sheet Protectors (8 ½” x 11”- 10 pack). You will also need plastic sleeves for the recipes you want to try.

3. Next download the printable recipe cards and fill them in with your “favorite” recipes. Copying and pasting your recipes can be a little time consuming, so unless you have some down time you may want to spread out the process over a few days.
Print and color in the symbols with a colored pencil. This could be a fun activity to do with older kids, maybe make a new recipe each week and have the family decide on how many stars to rate it?
Place the completed recipe cards inside the secure-top sheet protectors and place all of the recipes you’ve yet to try inside the plastic sleeves.*you can place recipes back to back in each pocket to save room.

4. Finish printing and placing the covers inside the binder fronts. You’re now ready to insert all of those tempting recipes and cook up something yummy!

{download here}

In the upcoming part 2, I'll reveal my new Magnetic Menu Planner. Stay tuned!

The above printable is editable so you can fill in the fields by typing instead of writing.
For personal use only. Please do not reproduce for commercial use.