I'm looking for a recipe organizer software, any suggestions?

Diane G. August 3, 2017

Can MacGourmet be used on Windows 10? A friend of mine has Mac years ago and gave me an organizer cd from her Mac and I put it on my computer and it worked fine. I'm wondering if MacGourmet would work too?

Martha November 4, 2016

Hi there, at our restaurant we signed up to "Chef" From Hamilton Grant, its great really easy to use and covers everything from costs to allergens, nutrition & calories etc. www.recipe-software.com

littlesam August 31, 2016

I have seen a new app that I believe does what you are looking for, its called cookbook (cloudcookbook.co) and is available on ios and android. I have been looking for one like this for a while - the other apps just haven't ever cut it for me. Check it out, its on a yearly subscription at a reduced rate at the moment but your first 30 days is free!

Claire T. July 29, 2016

Hi, the company I work for uses a great tool for Recipe Management/Development Software, here is demo of it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bJRDDGpQrUo

Brian A. April 29, 2016

Oh, really Dan? 'Cuz when I try to open cookn it asks if I want to use the sync option and of course I don't, so I say no and the app closes. I have to choose "Later" EVERY time I open the app. Crippleware? Ethical issues?

Dan O. August 31, 2016

Great questions Brian. By the way, when I saw your name, I instantly heard the Bryan Adams song "I'm Ready" in my head! Great song! Creating a Cook'n Cloud account is required. But, it doesn't cost anything do create an account and it only takes a minute or two to enter your e-mail address and a password. It's super simple! Have you tried to order something from Amazon without creating an Amazon.com account first? Have you tried to view content on FaceBook, Pinterest, or Youtube without logging in to your account first? It's nearly impossible in most cases. Similarly, we simply cannot move forward with the upcoming features and services that we're adding to Cook'n unless the user has a Cook'n Cloud account. Consequently, creating a Cook'n Cloud account is now required as well. But, like I said, it's free to create and it's super easy to do.

klnell April 27, 2016

Dan Oaks owns Cook'n and I have purchased (and repurchased) this software since before it was known as Cook'n. Dan seems to be a great guy but, he has now just announced that his company is going to a monthly subscription fee ($14.95). Cook'n is the only recipe organizing software I've known but, even when I by the upgrades with discounts (most recent $63.95) it doesn't add up for me to buy into a subscription service; in about 4 months and a week of buying a subscription I could buy an updated Cook'n. So, for whatever reason(s) Dan's company has for raising the buck, I also, have for finding a less expensive service (that of course offers the components that work best for me).

Dan O. August 31, 2016

Most software companies are changing to a SaaS (Software as a Service) business model and charging a subscription for their service. Until now, those who were interested in trying Cook'n had to pay $79.95 to buy it. Now, they can get it and use it for free. If you want to take advantage of Cloud Storage & Sync and other services, you can subscribe for only $4.95/month. You can unsubscribe at any time. Best of all, subscribers get all upgrades for free whereas, under the old business model, existing customers had to pay $64 per year to get upgrades. This new business model is actually LESS expensive for new users who don't have to overcome the $79.95 barrier to entry...and it's LESS expensive for existing customers too since they don't have to pay $64 each time a major upgrade comes out. Hopefully, klnell, you now see the reason why we "lowered" the buck rather than "raising the buck!" Cook'n is the only thing we do. We've done it for 24 years...there's nothing better on the market and we love our customers!

sonya July 31, 2015

Yes, I have a suggestion! I've never heard of The Recipe Organizer, but I LOVE www.BigOven.com. I’m a passionate home cook with way too much time on my hands to cook, and I want to try as many of my recipes as I can and eat as much as I can :). It might sound a little dramatic, but BigOven has changed my life. You can start by browsing other people’s recipes and easily make a menu plan or grocery list from that. But the real fun for me was in adding my own recipes and being able to search them in any insanely specific way that I could think of. My recipes from blogs or websites (www.cooksillustrated.com, for example) were quick to upload, and my own I just entered gradually over time. It is SO convenient to use. Starting with just being able to find a recipe when you need it, the search function is really great and very detail-specific to exactly what you want to look for! One small example is that you can search for recipes with up to three ingredients, and without up to three ingredients. There are a million other ways to search but I won’t bore you to tears. Anyways.... now I never waste an ingredient where I can’t figure out what to do with it! And it doesn’t linger on the shelves for 6 months until I realize that I have one - and just one - other recipe for it that I’d love to try! Also, it’s made it easier to compare recipes for the same thing...I can see at a glance that I have way too many recipes for chocolate cake, for example! Then there was the time when I figured out which desserts I could make for a vegan friend... the answer was, hardly any (er....), but all of my ices and sorbets were promptly tried out when I visited her. Back to BigOven...once I figure out a recipe that I want to make, what I LOVE is the menu planner and grocery list. For me this is a life-saver because I’m always changing things at the last minute, based on having company or not, something lasted longer than I thought it would, etc., and I used to have to go back to my cookbooks to rewrite my grocery list. What a P-I-T-A. Especially if you cook with a lot of fresh produce and other things that are perishable. Now it’s so easy to move plans and grocery lists around at the last minute. Thanks to BigOven, I take it for granted. Finally, it’s just fun to have a place to keep your recipes where you can look at them (I like to upload my photos when I make something, but it works really well if you didn’t feel like doing that, too...and for any online recipe, it does that for you). I used to talk about BigOven non-stop when I first started using it a few years ago - my poor friends and family were probably bored to death (what, BigOven? Okay, I can tune this out....). Oh, and I know that this is common to a lot of apps, but I love that I can figure things out on my home computer or laptop, and if I want to quickly check something on my phone either at home or at the grocery store, all of my information is with me. If they’re out of the main ingredient for my dinner that night at the grocery store, I can do a quick search through my recipes and find something else, just standing there in the grocery store. I cannot say enough good things about BigOven (can you tell? ;)

Susan W. July 31, 2015

I think it sounds awesome and I'm certainly going to check it out. If it's an app, can you access whatever you have uploaded or do you need internet to access anything.

sonya August 1, 2015

Hi Susan! I don't see a way to "reply" to you, so I'll reply here... Yes, you do need wi-fi or some kind of Internet connection to use the BigOven app at the grocery store. I'm not very internet savy but hope that helps!

Dan O. August 1, 2015

FYI...you do not need a WiFi connection to access your recipes with the Cook'n app (http://www.dvo.com).

Deborah J. August 25, 2024

Hi Dan, I've been a long time customer, well over ten years. I love the program, however, I have not been able to use it when I am remote and without internet service or cell service. It seems like there should be a way to access these recipes without internet or cell service, so that I can cook in hunting camp or when we are remote camping without having to buy satellite service to maybe get signal. Is there something within the program that I have not seen that will allow this?

AntoniaJames July 28, 2015

Google Drive. Yes, it can be used offline: https://support.google.com/docs/answer/2375012?hl=en Best search engine there ever was and ever will be. Documents can be in whatever format you like. You can access from your phone, your iPad, your friend's iPad, your computer at work, etc.

I have my entire digital library of recipes on my Drive. It's the best!

Bonus: I can share any file or folder or the entire Drive with anyone I like, according to whatever rules I implement. This makes it ideal for quickly creating recipe gifts, i.e., folders of recipes specially selected for a particular newlywed couple, friend or family member with an interest in a particular type of food, people you met at or invited to a dinner party who'd like one or more recipes that came up in conversation, etc. ;o)

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Dan O. July 27, 2015

In my opinion, there's nothing better than Cook'n (http://www.dvo.com). It works on PC, Mac, and all mobile devices. It is the only one that will scan your recipes. You can download internet recipes with one-click. You can print a family cookbook, analyze nutritional values, make menus, shopping lists, and so much more!

klnell April 27, 2016

Dan Oaks owns Cook'n and I have purchased (and repurchased) this software since before it was known as Cook'n. Dan seems to be a great guy but, he has now just announced that his company is going to a monthly subscription fee ($14.95). Cook'n is the only recipe organizing software I've known but, even when I by the upgrades with discounts (most recent $63.95) it doesn't add up for me to buy into a subscription service; in about 4 months and a week of buying a subscription I could buy an updated Cook'n. So, for whatever reason(s) Dan's company has for raising the buck, I also, have for finding a less expensive service (that of course offers the components that work best for me).

Dan O. April 27, 2016

The subscription service is optional. You can still use Cook'n to organize an unlimited number of your personal recipes. You can make menus and grocery shopping lists. You can analyze the nutritional value of any recipe. You can e-mail recipes to family and friends, print a family cookbook, and scale your recipes. You can type in what you have on hand and Cook'n will tell you what you can make for dinner, and much, much more.

Just about every technology company these days offers a subscription service of one kind or another. Cook'n is no exception. Premium subscribers get free upgrades (a $63.96 value). Premium Subscribers can sync to an unlimited number of devices. They can use the Cook'n Cloud as an off-site backup to protect their valuable recipe collection from data loss. They can capture and scan an unlimited number of recipes. Premium Subscribers will have access to free tech support and can get the help they need when they need it. And, when Premium Features and upgrades come out, subscribers will have full-access to these new features for free.

Subscribers also get a free cookbook download each month (a $15 value), 5-Day Weekly Meal Plans (a $10 value), the Cook'n Weekly Newsletter, access to the Cook'n Forum, free upgrades (a $64 value), and free tech support. Premium Membership is a terrific value.

Laura L. April 28, 2019

The problem with a subscription model is that you have to think every month whether you are getting value out of the program. I like the capture and scan aspects of Cook'n, but I do not need sync or any of the social networking, or buying and downloading cookbooks. I also don't like that you can't turn off the live feed because I don't want to see everyone else's recipes, I just want a place to scan and keep my own. If I am reading the information on the web site correctly, subscribing will make it so I can't finish the process of scanning my recipes into the database because you can only do five a month or something? It seems as though most of the features that require continuous updating are those I don't use but I do use Evernote a lot, so I might switch over to that. I'm willing to pay for software and to upgrade it periodically, but I can't see subscribing to a service to keep a digital folder of my own recipes.

Dan O. January 13, 2020

I totally understand what you mean Laura. If you just want to keep a digital folder of your own recipes, download and use Cook'n for free! Upgrades and optional services like Cloud Storage & Sync services, tech support services, and other web services like unlimited Capture and Scan are available to subscribers only but these upgrades and services are totally optional. Or sign up one month for $4.95 so you can sync any new recipes to your mobile devices and then unsubscribe. Then, 6 months later, sign up again for $4.95 and then unsubscribe. It's totally up to you.

Alternatively, sign up for the annual plan for only $.13 per day and don't think about it again. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that food is the third-largest household expense. How much did you spend on fast food last month? How much did you spend at the grocery store? $600, $800, $1,000? What if you could reduce that by 10% or 20% and save $200 per month? Would that help? Does it make sense to spend a few bucks on Cook'n (the cost of a hamburger at McDonald's) to save a couple hundred each month? You bet!

Annette Economides, co-author of Cut Your Grocery Bill in Half with America's Cheapest Family, says "The less you shop, the more you save." That makes sense because fewer trips to the store means less money spent on gas and impulsive purchases. What if you had a customizable meal plan and shopping list handed to you each week? Get a Cook'n Premium Membership and get a 5-Day Meal Plan every week!

Does food ever go bad in your fridge? We waste a remarkable amount of food every year. Some studies note that between 14-25% of the food we bring home from the grocery store ends up in the trash. Cook'n helps you make use of the food in your fridge. Before you hit the grocery store, use Cook'n to search the web to see how to get more meals out of what you already have.

Eating fast food is expensive. Eating more home-cooked meals is easy when you have a tool designed to simplify meal preparation. Get Cook'n and save money!

How much does poor health cost you? Do you ever miss work because you're sick? How much does a trip to the doctor cost? How much do those medicines and prescriptions cost? Would eating healthier help? Cook'n can help.

No matter which way you look at it, you will easily recoup your investment in Cook'n.

Feally M. July 8, 2014

try www.frunti.com. makes it incredibly simple to download your recipes in book form to your computer.

katiebakes October 6, 2011

Thanks everyone for all the wonderful answers! I went with MacGourmet; I love it and would recommend it to anyone looking for recipe software (that has a Mac of course).

JessicaBakes September 22, 2011

I'm seconding Evernote. You can get it on your ipad, iphone, etc. and have your recipes anywhere. you can also add infinite tags to any note, making it easy to search and find what you're looking for.

Cyberbyrd September 21, 2011

I use PepperPlate.com. It's free. It captures recipes from lots of magazines and websites (Food Network; Bon Appetit; MyRescipes; Epicurious) with just a click. It has a shopping function; a cooking function (with 2 timers) AND it has a mobile app so that if you are in the store and suddenly decide you have to make something but can't remember all the ingredients ...... you get the picture. Their iPad app is amazing. I use the PepperPlate app more than anything else on my iPad. (If you own an iPad and are looking for a great stand to use in the kitchen .... try The Nest iPad Stand by BlueLounge.

Burnt O. September 15, 2011

I use Evernote for everything. Evernote.com It's free, flexible, has a great phone app for iPhone, Droid and Blackberry. I like to think of it as Google for recipes and notes. Great tagging features for organizing. Easy to share and post recipes. It's free - give it a try.

Sakemom September 14, 2011

Check out Shop'nCookPro - very good software. http://www.shopncook.com/index.html I use it all the time - for work and home. It has a lot of extra stuff I don't use like programs to help plan menus and create shopping lists, but the food costing and easy recipe index is great. I can copy a recipe from Food52 or the NYTimes and paste it into the software, and it recognizes ingredients and methods and can even provide nutrition info. Very much worth the $.

mauriciojimenez69 September 13, 2011

If you use windows you may use Master Cook, it is pretty good.

SouffleBombay September 13, 2011

If you do not currently have a blog site, why not begin one? It's a wondeful way to document your recipes and leave a little something behind for your family. A platform like Blogger is free and simple to set up - you could have it going in an hour :)

cookinginvictoria September 13, 2011

This recent foodpickle thread talked about various ways to organize recipes. I have been thinking of using software to organize my recipes, but I haven't taken the plunge yet. Right now I have my recipes in binders, organized by subject.

http://www.food52.com/foodpickle/6065-how-do-you-store-your-recipes

katiebakes September 12, 2011

oops, I meant The Recipe Manager

sabele September 12, 2011

I can't speak to The Recipe Organizer, but I do recommend MacGourmet (assuming you use a Mac... macgourmet.com). It is definitely meant for offline use and has a lot of online compatibility. Also, there are add-ons that will do things like calculate nutritional information (though I don't have those). I do have the iPhone app, though, which is pretty handy. I've been using it for years (and have friends who use it, too).

I'm looking for a recipe organizer software, any suggestions?

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