Create a Keepsake Cookbook for Friends, Family, or Fundraisers

If you love to share recipes, you can create your own keepsake cookbook for friends, family, or a fundraiser of some kind. These carefully constructed publications are the perfect gift for summer reunions, graduations, and weddings, and they can become a cherished heirloom later-on. For charity fundraisers, a cookbook is an inexpensive and popular item that sells.

Thinking of creating your own cookbook? Here's how to get started:

Start by gathering your content — the recipes! You could garner favorite recipes by crafting and disseminating a form to your potential contributors to solicit precise recipes and information. Also, try to find or take photos of the dish or the contributor — like an old family photo of Grandma. These photos are great additions to your cookbook, though not required.

Make sure that you are continually editing and correcting errors that you see in your content. Enlist a fresh set of eyes to give each completed recipe, page, or chapter a thorough read so that you won't be disappointed or frustrated later-on. If you find that a mistake slips past you and makes it into the cookbook, talk to the printer about correcting it if you plan a follow-up printing.

Before you begin to gather recipes into a cookbook format, think about your book's theme. Consider if you will adhere to a specific theme, like favorite International fare, or a holiday compilation, such as Christmas recipes. Write a thoughtful and sentimental intro that further reiterates the theme and the purpose of the cookbook.

Now for the fun part: choose a cover for your cookbook! It is best to keep things simple when it comes to cover art or illustration, so try to keep it at a single image or motif and basic text. This will also keep printing and production costs low. Make sure to discuss budget and bulk discounts with your printing professional.

Meet and talk with the printer about your printing options, including color, copies, and lamination — which is a great option for cookbooks, as it preserves the pages a bit longer. The printer will be able to provide an estimate of the costs associated, as well as a timeframe for how long it will take to prepare and print your cookbook.

Another vital element of your project is the binding: how do you plan on securing your cookbook together? A professional binding offers longevity and more of a polished look for your book. Talk to your printer about coil and spiral bound options, too.

It is up to you to choose when and how to distribute these cookbooks to your family or friends, or where and for how much you will be selling them. If you are gifting your cookbook, write a personal note inside the cover with the date or jot something down on a page with a favorite recipe or one that you contributed personally. For fundraisers, talk to your printer about rates and savings for multiple printings, depending on how sales go.

It always makes sense to work with printers that offer eco-friendly options, like recycled paper, ink, and solvents. You may also find reputable printers that recycle aluminum printing plates, coordinate deliveries to conserve energy, and utilize electronic file transfers whenever possible. Ask potential printers about their use of chemicals in producing your cookbook if you are looking for a green option.

Ready to produce your cookbook? Talk to the printing and binding professionals at Inkspot Printingto request your quote and move forward with your project. Whether you are creating a family keepsake or an important element of a fundraiser, use these tips to put together a fine and lasting product.