Cookbooks

Cookbooks can hold a lot more than recipes — they often hold versions of us we thought we’d become.

The aspiring baker. The meal-prep queen. The gourmet who was going to master the Instant Pot.*

But here’s the truth: if that version of you never fit (or no longer does), you’re allowed to let her go.

Cookbooks can quietly clutter your kitchen shelves and your mental space.
Each one represents an unspoken “should.”
You should cook more.
You should try that recipe.
You should be more like the person who gifted it to you.

But your kitchen should reflect how you actually live and eat today — not how you wish you did five years ago. So let's get started on removing what doesn't fit.

1. Gather them all.
Pull every cookbook, recipe magazine, and printed binder into one spot.

2. Sort into two clear piles:

• Keep: You’ve cooked from it this year or it still inspires you.

• Donate or Toss: You haven’t opened it in years, or it reflects a version of you that’s no longer true.

3. Get creative.
If you’re keeping a cookbook just for one or two recipes, rip out the pages (yes, really). Add them to a binder or folder labeled “Favorites.”

Display the cookbooks you truly love in a visible, accessible place — maybe stacked neatly near your stove or in open shelving. When cookbooks reflect your current season of life, your kitchen energy shifts from overwhelm to inspiration.