To be honest, as food bloggers we have one of the coolest jobs in the world. After all, how rewarding is it to create a delicious recipe from scratch and then watch others recreate and enjoy it?
Nevertheless, I know that writing recipes can be difficult. While you can have an amazing idea in your head, it’s difficult to put all of those thoughts down on paper and get them across to your readers in an effective way.
Reading: How to create recipes for a food blog
Luckily, there are a few simple ways you can write better recipes as a food blogger. Let’s deal with them!
1. List the ingredients in the order they are used in the recipe.
I don’t know about you, but when it comes to recipes I want them to be as clear and straightforward as possible are.
Therefore, to avoid confusion, it is best to always list the ingredients in the order in which they are used in the recipe. This helps ensure that those following the recipe don’t inadvertently leave out any ingredients.
Writing the ingredients in the correct order will also help the recipe flow more effectively. Like a book, you can easily read a recipe from top to bottom and understand what the end result will be like.
2. Write recipes with your own voice.
When writing your recipes, don’t be afraid to let your voice shine.
The more you write recipes, the more comfortable you become with your own voice and style. Experiment a little and decide how you want your recipes to sound – are they informative and educational, or are they a little more clever and humorous?
And if you’re not sure where to start when it comes to finding your voice, this article might help. As you think about your voice, consider this: what do you want your readers to experience when they read your content?
Aside from that, remember that there can be overkill. If you’re too witty, your readers may have trouble following the steps and not fully understand what they need to do. Find your happy medium and stick to it!
Pinch of Yum is a great example of this – her recipes have a unique voice while still being informative and easy to follow. If you read through any of her recipes (like the vegan crunchwrap supreme recipe shown below), you can immediately tell that it’s a pinch of yum recipe. It’s fun, engaging, and unique, and all of her recipes have a similar vibe.
3. Use both weight and volume measurements.
If you live in the United States, you probably write ingredients in terms of volume, such as cups and tablespoons.
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But did you know that most people prefer to write recipes using weights like grams and ounces?
That’s why I recommend writing recipes with weight and volume! By including both, you can make your recipes more accessible to anyone around the world.
There are also a few benefits of including both weight and volume measurements:
- You can create recipes that are accessible to everyone, regardless of their preference for volume or weight measurement.
- Your recipes will be more accurate, which means your readers who replicate the recipes will have more success become.
- You can scale recipes more easily. Which is easier to double: 3/4 cup or 100g?
- If you decide to measure by weight, you will end up having to clear fewer dishes. Yes, please!
Want to learn more? Check out this blog post to dive deeper into this topic and learn how to convert volume to weight measurements.
4. Make sure you have precise information about the doneness.
If you were making a recipe for roast potatoes, which instruction would you prefer: “cook until done” or “cook until browned and a fork can be easily inserted”? I know which one I would choose!
The best recipes are recipes that leave nothing to chance. They give the reader as much information as possible, including when and how to know when the meal will be ready.
And while you may know when certain types of food are ready just by looking at them, your readers may not. Make sure you explain exactly what to look for (are you targeting a specific color or temperature?) to make your recipes even more helpful.
It is also important to remember that each person will have a unique set up in the kitchen.When a recipe needs to be cooked in the oven, many ovens are different — some run hot, some run cooler, and some are fan assisted. By breaking down exactly what to look for when cooking, you ensure that everyone can thrive with your recipes, no matter how high-tech their kitchen appliances are.
Want to take your recipe game even further?
5. If possible, offer a replacement.
While this won’t always be an option, it’s often helpful to offer substitutes for specific ingredients or equipment when possible. This helps accommodate all of your readers, regardless of their dietary restrictions or preferences.
Here are some scenarios to consider:
- If your original recipe includes chicken, can you offer a vegetarian substitute with tofu?
- While you recommend cooking a specific recipe in an Instant Pot, can you add cooking times that might work for a slow cooker?
In my opinion, it’s best to include these substitution instructions in the notes section of your recipe card. They are mentioned explicitly, but are not lost in the recipe instructions.
Here is an example of how Pinch of Yum handles substitution options in one of his recipes:
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While you don’t necessarily need to list your substitutions exactly the same way, it might be something to consider adding to your recipes in the future.
6. Include storage instructions.
When you’re making a recipe, you probably won’t eat the last bite in one sitting – that’s why I get so excited when recipes come with storage instructions.
Whether you’re eating a vegetarian lasagna or a lemon chiffon cake, each type of food has unique guidelines for storage. By mentioning this in your recipes, you can help reduce food waste and keep your readers enjoying their food for longer.
Here are some important questions to answer when providing instructions for storing a recipe:
- How should the food be stored – refrigerated or at ambient temperature?
- How long does the food stay fresh?
- Can the food possibly be stored in the freezer for a few months?
7. Give credit where credit is due.
While you sometimes come up with a 100% original recipe and write it completely from scratch, sometimes you take existing recipes and change them to create something new. And that’s okay!
It’s just always important to give credit where credit is due and credit the original source correctly.
As a general rule of thumb, you should do the following when adapting recipes from other sources:
- Be explicit in the recipe itself as to where it was adapted or modified from.
- Add a link to the original recipe or cookbook.
And when I say adapting a recipe, I don’t mean copying and pasting the ingredients and instructions! Make tweaks and adjustments to the recipe to create something new, and always write recipes in your own words.
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Like anything else, recipe writing is a skill that you develop and improve over time. I hope you follow these tips and continue to create interesting, informative recipes that your readers will follow and love.
All you have to do is keep coming up with new ideas, challenge yourself in the kitchen and share your love of food with the world through your recipes. You did!
Now we’re curious: What tips have you personally learned over the years to help you write better recipes? What are some of your recipe writing problems? Let us know in the comments!
See also: Guides.rubyonrails.org
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