There’s something about a personalized cookbook that connects us to family, to home, to history. We’re willing to bet Grandma especially would love seeing her own recipes published. Let’s go through how to make this unique Mother’s Day gift for Grandma — starting from scratch.
Before we start, a little tip: consider making extra copies of your photo book to surprise all the mother figures in your life!
Collect your recipes and photos
Get in touch with family members to round up Grandma’s classics or have everyone pitch in with their own culinary creations. Next, find all those great photos that go with your chosen recipes. They could be hiding in your camera roll or saved in your Aunt’s or cousin’s. Once you’ve got your list of meals ready, make a rough table of contents.
Choose your photo book
We recommend the Layflat Photo Book. When opened, the extra-thick pages stay perfectly flat, making it easy to read. For a classic look and feel, you may want to consider a sturdy Hardcover Photo Book which offers up to 200 pages.
Think about the layout
When it comes to your recipe book for Grandma, visuals play a big role. If a photo is missing for a recipe, you can use one page. But if you’ve got a photo to accompany it, go all out with a full spread — recipe on one page, photo on the other.
Each page spread should contain…
- Name of recipe
- Cooking time
- Serving size
- Introduction
- List of equipment
- Ingredients and measurements
- Instructions
- Tips
- Anecdotes (perfect for when you don’t have a photo!)
- Photographs
Top tip: Use one of Canva’s free templates to type out the recipes. Save your cooking instructions as a JPG file, so you can upload them in our online builder.
Top tip #2: Or scan in Grandma’s handwritten recipes — nothing beats the extra personal touch.
Write an introductory note
An introductory note is a wonderful way to express gratitude and appreciation to Grandma for her influence, love, and culinary wisdom.
Cook up a title
The title can be as straightforward or creative as you like. Just keep it simple, and feel free to use these ideas as a starting point:
- Grandma’s Greatest Bakes
- From Grandma’s Kitchen
- Nana’s Homemade Favorites
- Cooking with Grandma
- [Name] Family Recipes
And there you have it! The perfect Mother’s Day gift for Grandma, lovingly designed by you.
