Keeping a Kitchen Journal

By Rachel Paxton - rachel@Organized-Mom.com

It seems like the busier we get the more forgetful we become. Of course, getting older has something to do with it, too. Whatever the reason for our forgetfulness, a kitchen journal can be a useful tool for keeping our home and family running smoothly on a daily basis.

Journaling can be fun. Find a notebook to start your journal. You can decorate it with stickers or cut-out pictures. Design it into something you look forward to writing in.

Use your kitchen journal to make notes to yourself when meal planning, cooking, or when a creative thought pops into your head while you're doing something else.

A kitchen journal will save you time and stress. Following are some of the benefits of a a kitchen journal.

Recording family food likes and dislikes

I've been married for almost eight years and you would think by now I know what type of cereal my husband likes. It's not so much the ones he likes, as the one he dislikes! Then there's our teenaged daughter and my teenaged stepdaughter who doesn't live with us but comes to stay from time to time. All in all, I find it challenging to keep track of who likes what. My kitchen journal has solved that problem.

A journal is also useful for relatives or friends who visit and eat at your home. They will be impressed that you remember what they like/dislike and that you plan your meals around their tastes and/or food allergies.

Planning kids' lunch menus

Use your journal for recording new ideas for and keeping track of your kids' school lunch menus. This will save you time and help ensure your children eat healthy lunches.

Saving money

Create a list of which fruits and vegetables are in season, and when prices are lowest. This will enable you to watch for good deals and prepare your meals around seasonal produce.

Experimenting with new recipes

Kitchen journals are great for experimenting with a recipe. When you change the proportions of a recipe or make an emergency ingredient substitution, make a note of it in your journal. You can also use your journal to write down new recipes you want to try or make a note of where you saw a recipe you want to come back to later.

When you entertain friends or family, make notes of things you tried that went well or things that didn't go well that you want to remember not to try again (like the salad that didn't set long enough in the refrigerator before you were ready to serve it).

In addition to keeping track of favorite foods, make a note of your family's favorite recipes. When your children grow up and go to college and/or get married, you can compile their favorite recipes into a keepsake cookbook or recipe card box for them to take with them as they start their own families.

Try incorporating a kitchen journal into your daily routine and see for yourself if it helps keep you more organized. Once you get started you'll discover many ideas of your own to record in your new journal.

Copyright 2003. Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the owner of http://www.organized-mom.com, featuring the Easy Organizer, loaded with tools to help you plan, schedule, remember events, keep in touch, get your family on an organized schedule, prioritize, and more.