Sunday Simplicity Tip #7
Create a reverse cookbook and keep your pantry and recipe pile to a minimum. It’s easy. Just think of 30-40 meals you and your family actually like to eat. Then determine if you even need a recipe to make the dish. If you do, pick your favorite version of the dish and keep those instructions.
I figured this out when I noticed many of my clients with multiple versions of the same cookbook. I realized that I too had several Italian cookbooks that I never actually used because I like my mom’s spaghetti sauce recipe – and I make that, over and over. Now that I “know” this I don’t waste time even looking at other versions.
This works well for picking a few, go to, dishes for pot luck participation. Also, for trips to the grocery store. Familiar recipes make it easier to have all the ingredients on hand. It is faster to decide what to have for dinner and the rest of the family can chip in on preparation, simply by limiting the number of choices.
You can also express your creativity by putting your chosen recipes on cards, in a binder, a scrapbook or on the computer. It is a fun exercise and I promise that it makes it much easier to pass on cookbooks once you realize you will never get around to making Thai food at home.
Tags: clutter, cooking, creativity, kitchen, meal prep, organizing, recipes, Simplifying
