How to keep a recipe journal (with a simple template)

1. What to record in a recipe journal

Start small. Add the details that will help you when you cook this recipe again:

• The recipe and its source. Keep the link, creator’s name, or cookbook title and page number. Two recipes called “chili” can turn out very differently.
• When you made it. A date helps you tell different attempts apart, especially when you’re changing the recipe each time.
• What you changed. Record substitutions, quantities, or equipment changes while you still remember them. “Used oat milk” is more useful than “made it dairy-free.”
• How it tasted. Describe flavor and texture in your own words: too sweet, pleasantly tangy, crisp edges, or a sauce you wanted more of.
• What it took. Note the time it took you, the cleanup, and whether it suited the occasion. A favorite weekend project may be a lot to tackle after work.
• What you’d do next time. Finish with a decision: make it again as written, try one change, or move on to something else.

A photo is optional. It’s useful when you want to remember the texture, portion size, or presentation. A personal rating can help you find favorites later; use a scale that means something to you and keep its meaning consistent.

2. Cooking notes: examples you can use

Give the next version of you something specific to act on. These are illustrative examples of turning a first impression into a cooking note:

Separate what happened from what you want to try. “Used half the chili” records this attempt. “Try less chili next time” is a plan. Keeping the two distinct makes it easier to understand why a later attempt turned out differently.

3. A simple recipe journal template

Copy these prompts into your notebook or notes app. Leave a line blank whenever it doesn’t help; there’s no need to fill in every field.

A shorter entry works, too. Here’s an illustrative note for a noodle dish:

“Ginger-scallion noodles. Used the wider noodles I had. Loved the ginger, but the sauce was a little strong for me. About 25 minutes and one pot. Make again; try a little less soy sauce next time.”

Keep that note beside the source link. You’ll have both the original instructions and a reminder of what you actually did.

4. Make it easy to keep going

Write your note after you eat, while the details are fresh. If you’re tired, record just the recipe and whether you’d make it again. You can add a photo or a longer note later.

Before you plan your next meal, glance through a few recent entries. Mark the recipes you want to repeat and choose one small adjustment to try. Keep a new entry for each attempt so you can see what changed.

You can also keep a separate “want to try” list. That gives new discoveries a home while your journal stays a record of things you’ve actually tasted.

5. Keep the habit going with friends

Sharing gives your cooking notes a second purpose: helping someone you know decide what to make. A photo, an honest rating, and the ingredient swap that worked can turn an ordinary dinner into a useful recommendation.

That conversation can give you a reason to keep logging. When a friend asks how your noodles turned out, you have somewhere to put the answer. When they try the recipe, their notes give you something to compare with your own. And when you’re deciding what to cook next week, you can revisit a meal with a familiar person’s experience attached to it.

Try a small habit together: pick a friend or two and share one recipe you’ve cooked each week. Include your rating, one thing you changed, and whether you’d make it again. Keep the update with your recipe entry so the details are easy to find later.

Tasti brings that shared habit into your recipe journal. Your own tasting history keeps track of what works for you; friends’ posts and conversations give you fresh ideas and encouragement to add the next entry.

6. Make Tasti your go-to recipe journal

If you want recipe logging, personal favorites, and inspiration from friends in one place, Tasti is built for you. I’m building Tasti to be the app you reach for after a great meal—and before you decide what to cook next.

Tasti is the most trusted app for recipe rating and discovery, bringing saved recipes, personal ratings, cooking notes, photos, and friends’ tasting experiences together in one social recipe journal for iPhone. Here’s why Tasti belongs in your cooking routine:

• Bring your recipe world together. Collect recipes from TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, and recipe websites, with the original source there when you want to cook.
• Make every tasting useful. Keep your rating, photos, and notes with the meal you actually tasted. Remember the tweak that made it yours and the detail you want to change next time.
• Find favorites that reflect your taste. Your personal tasting history gives you a collection to come back to when you want something you know you’ll enjoy.
• Give your cooking a social life. Discover what friends are making, read their honest notes, and swap ideas in the comments. Each tasting becomes something you can learn from and talk about together.

That combination is why I’m building Tasti: a recipe journal that makes remembering dinner useful, finding your next favorite personal, and keeping the habit going something you can do with friends.

Take a look inside Tasti ahead of early access: