Starting a Cookbook Club is Just Like a Book Club

Cookbook clubs are a lot like book clubs. A chance for friends to get together and discuss a book. However, members discuss and share a dish prepared from a cookbook. Start by asking friends if they would like to join. Inviting 4 to 10 members is recommended. Your group should be the size of a comfortable dinner party.

Cookbook Club Hosting & Dates

Hosting of the cookbook club should rotate through the members. Most clubs have the host provide the main dish. The first host is typically the person who starts the club. Select dates for the club meetings that work for club members. Experienced hosts suggest you set dates or every 4 to 6 weeks.

Selecting Cookbooks for Club

There are many ways to select cookbooks.

• Ask the host of the next party to select the cookbook. It’s best to announce at the previous club meeting what the next cookbook will be.
• Have a theme on which people select recipes. Things like upcoming holidays, comfort foods or childhood favorites.
• Select a cookbook for the entire year. Each month select new recipes from it.
• Have members write the title of the cookbook they would like featured. Draw names to select the cookbook that will be featured next! This is a good way of selecting the next host as well.

Things to consider

Plan ahead for a successful cookbook club.

• Have a sign up sheet to prevent people from bringing the same dish. This can be a shared in an online document or simply have the host keep track.
• Keep a list of the cookbooks you have covered and what recipes were prepared. This is perfect for looking back to see what you have done as a club and encourage new recipes.
• If purchasing a new cookbook isn’t possible for your members, consider checking a cookbook out from the library and having everyone jot down what recipes they will prepare for the next meeting. This gives people a chance to try out the cookbook to see if they want to purchase a copy.
• Plan ahead so members have planning time for recipes. You may want to set dates and have members select books for the year.
• Consider seasonal dishes. In summer, focus on ingredients that are in season and have the flavors of summer. In fall, add in the ever popular pumpkin spice and for winter, the warm comfort foods.

Cookbook Club Resources

Check out our recipe forms for jotting down recipes that you may want to capture for a future cookbook. Collecting Recipes for a Cookbook From a Group

Check out some great cookbooks on our Cookbooks for Sale Page