I don’t know about you, but I am constantly looking for new recipes.
One, because I’m not much of a cook, so I can’t make new recipes on the spot.
Two, because I can’t eat the same thing every week, so I need to test new recipes and add them to my binder, so they will be rotated all year round.
That’s why I consider myself a bit of an expert recipe finder 🙂 I’ve tried (almost) everything and I already know where to look for, and what is best for me and my family. By best, I mean, what we like to eat.
If you’re like me and you want to discover new recipes, I suggest you try the recommendations below, especially the apps and Pinterest, those two are the most valuable, in my opinion.
Here’s where to find new recipes:
The first suggestion is the most obvious one for recipe discovery. Just Google it. If you don’t know where to start, try the following tactics:
- Google ingredients. Search for the things you already have in the fridge or pantry. For example, “chicken recipes” or even “chicken bell pepper carrots recipe”. You’re guaranteed to find something on Google.
- Google type of meal. If you’re always stuck on what to eat for lunch, type in “lunch recipes” or “lunch ideas”. You will find so many options, it will be hard to choose just one.
You could also try googling “food blogs” or “food websites”, but the process to actually getting to a recipe you like and will make is much longer.
One way of going around it is to find multiple websites and recipes and using the Bookmark option of your browser. That way, you have a list you can always come back to. Depends on how you like it.
But in most cases, Google is your friend. It’s the easiest way to discover new recipes if you already have ingredients or a vague idea of what you want to eat.
Pinterest is also an obvious one, because it is, like Google, a search engine. So you do almost the same on Pinterest like you do on Google. You search for ingredients or types of meals.
The benefit of using Pinterest is that it’s a visual platform, so you can scroll and select a recipe by picture. And that’s great because you can save time by not choosing something you won’t eat. For example, you browse through Pinterest for dinner recipe ideas and you see one with jalapenos in it, but you hate them, so it’s easy to dismiss it and move on. If you were on Google and the title didn’t have jalapenos in it, you would have entered that website for nothing.
That’s why I think Pinterest is a faster search engine, and it’s suited for visual people. It’s actually one of my favorite ways to discover new recipes.
YOUTUBE
I’m a broken record, I know, but this is the last one, I promise. YouTube is another search engine, if you think about it. Here, you can look up recipes, influencers, how tos, and so on.
Personally, I haven’t used it that much, because I don’t think it will give you all the possibilities that Pinterest and Google can, just because not a lot of people have filming equipment or editing skills to actually do it.
But some can, and those who can, do a great job. You have so many food channels that you can follow, you just need to find someone who you love as a cook, or who cooks similar to you. The recipe discovery process will not be the same, in the sense that you discover by seeing what other cooks, not by actively searching for something.
Actually, you can do both. I just think YouTube is at its best when looking for chefs and cooking channels, not for specific recipes.
COOKBOOKS
This is an old school suggestion. I say old school, because I’m sure your mom had cookbooks, and probably your grandma, too. And if you cook yourself, even once or twice a week (or month), you probably have one, as well.
I recommend getting cookbooks for specific needs, like “Italian food”, or “Vegan recipes”, or “Cooking meat”. This way, you have an already compiled book of recipes which you can try from. So if you want to discover new recipes, definitely get a cookbook that most fits your taste buds 🙂 If you like Mexican food, get a Mexican inspired one, for example.
If you’re on the lookout for new cookbooks, two of the most popular cookbooks right now are Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines and Modern Comfort Food by Ina Garten.
FOOD MAGAZINES
If you’re a magazine lover, you probably already have some. I’m thinking Bon Appetit, Food & Wine and Eating Well. But then again, considering how everything is online these days, you might not be into magazines anymore.
Either way, magazines have their advantages and disadvantages.
The beauty of them is that they’re easy to browse through, appealing to the eye, and with easy to follow recipes. The downside is that there are a limited number of recipes per magazine. But if you find a very cool recipe that you’re willing to try, definitely get it.
RECIPE APPS
Speaking of the digital world we now live in, we have to talk about apps. This is the next big thing I want to try when it comes to discovering new recipes.
Apps are a great idea for the phone lovers out there. It’s so easy to use. You just pick up the phone, open the app and search for chicken recipes, for example. Definitely faster than powering up your laptop, waiting for it to open, and so on. Just as fast as Pinterest browsing.
I’ve heard great things about the following recipe apps: Allrecipes Dinner Spinner, Kitchen Stories, Yummly. They’re all free, by the way (last time I checked).
What apps do you use?
SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS
This is similar to YouTube, in terms of finding a chef you like. You can also find them on other Social Media platforms. Especially Instagram, since it’s such a photo / video friendly platform. Influencers help you discover new recipes all the time, that’s their job, isn’t it? To provide content and inspiration.
You can also find great chefs you can constantly follow for new ideas on blogs, of course. Unfortunately, this blog is not one, but there are so many out there.
YOUR MOM / GRANDMA
This is such an underused option: your mom / grandma / aunt / sister. Why not go to the people whose food you like the most?
My recipe binder is 60% made up of my mom’s recipes. I love them and my family does, too.
I also recommend writing your family’s recipes because, before you know it, they won’t be able to give them to you, so do it now.
So here is how I discover new recipes! Let me know in the comments where you find new recipes!
p.s. I’m not much of a cook, but I do make a mean Chili con carne. Check out the Chili Homemade Recipe!
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