Family recipes plan
Recipes are one of those things that we often neglect to consider as part of our families history when in fact recipes can be some of our longest lasting traditions and leave some of the most powerful recipes. Give the gift of tradition and leave the power of legacy with this 21-day project.
*All activities with a * require a FamilySearch account to participate in that activity.
If you don’t have one please set one up with a tree or find another activity for that day.
Jump ahead to the day you’d like to see.
Be sure to take the pre experiment survey before you start and come back and complete the post experiment survey when you are done.
Day 1
Brainstorm
Take a few minutes to ponder memories. What are some of your family’s favorite recipes? Which dishes are shared at all family gatherings? What was your favorite dish your mom, dad, grandma, grandpa, aunts or uncles made? Whose recipes would be fun to include? Who in your family might have the recipes? Make a list as you answer each of these questions. Also, consider listing family members who may have memories from those whose recipes you’d like to share. (ie: Collect grandma’s recipes, so contact aunts and cousins who may have recipes. Collect recipes from your own family, so contact your kids and ask them their favorite recipes from growing up. Collect all of the Christmas recipes your family uses to make a christmas cookbook, etc…)
Day 2
Initiate Collecting
Reach out to family members today. Use your list from day 1 and ask them to share recipes from that ancestor and any stories related to those recipes or memories they have of that person and their cooking. Phone calls can be great to get an immediate response, especially with older relatives. You can also send an email or text where appropriate (example: Hi, Aunt Judy! I am collecting family recipes from Grandma Beasley for a family history project. I wondered if you have any recipes from her that you love or any written in her handwriting? I’d also love it if you could share any photos or memories you have of Grandma’s cooking, her recipes, or traditions you remember that involved her recipes! If you could get them back to me by (date) that would be great! Thank you!)
Bonus: We’re CONNECTING with COUSINS today! Visit Relative Finder today and join the group “Connections-Experiment” to see how many of your cousins are participants in the experiment! (You will need a free FamilySearch account for this to work)
Day 3
Gather Your Own Recipes
While you are waiting to hear back from family members, use your list to start gathering the recipes and keepsake items you personally have.
Day 4
Organize
Create a file system for organizing your recipes, memories, and other keepsakes as you gather and receive them.
Tip: Create a different folder for each recipe to keep pictures, and memories together with the recipe.
Day 5
Scan
As you collect photos, handwritten recipes, and memories be sure you digitize them for safe keeping. It’s always better to work with a copy and not the original, and this will make it easier for you to create many of the projects. As you gather your own assets and receive them from family be sure to scan and make copies of each of the items.
Day 6
Homeland Recipes
Today do some exploring and look into recipes from your ancestral roots. Bookmark one or two recipes you’d like to try and note an ancestor or two who may have eaten that dish. Consider including some of these recipes in your project.
Tip: Visit www.familysearch.org/discovery/explore/heritage to start exploring your homelands. Select a country, then click “recipes” to discover some easy and fun recipes from that nation.
Day 7
Follow Up
Today be sure to follow up with your relatives, make any additional phone calls and gather in any of the remaining recipes you have on hand.
Day 8
Eat Like Your Ancestors
Today we invite you to eat like your ancestors. Try one of the recipes you bookmarked. Think about those ancestors from that area as you eat as they ate. Explore more about one of those ancestors from that area (read a story, learn about the locality, look them up on a census, etc.)
Day 9
Pick A Project
Decide what you want your final gift to look like. Would you like it to be a book or a keepsake. Things to consider: How will you add in stories, pictures and other keepsakes if desired? Who would you like to share it with (will this be a gift for one person, or would you like to be able to easily replicate it for multiple people)?
Project Ideas:
- Printed Recipe Book
- Printed Recipe Cards
- Recipe Ebook
- Recipe Apron
- Recipe Dish Towels
- Framed Recipe Cards
Day 10
Plan Supplies
List out what supplies you’ll need for the project and make a plan for purchasing what you need. Would you like to include pictures of any of the food items? Would you like to include a picture of the person who’s recipe it is?
Tip: You have 3 built in days for photographing food for your book. If you have more recipes you want to photograph, plan to do it more days, or do multiple recipes each day.
Day 11
Gather Supplies
Order items you’ll need for your project, pick up supplies in town, and gather materials in your home to your work station, so that you’ll be ready to get to work. Follow up on any remaining recipes, memories, photographs, etc… that you need from relatives.
Day 12
Photograph a Meal
Today is a great day to make a recipe or two from your recipe list and photograph the food for your project. Be sure to talk about the recipe’s creator and think about what it would have been like to make and eat that recipe in their day. If it’s a recipe from your current family, talk about what makes it so special and your favorite times to eat it, including any traditions surrounding that food. Write down a few of those thoughts.
Day 13
Day 14
Photograph a Meal
Use today to create one of your family recipes, then photograph your creation for display in your final project.
Day 15
Day 16
Photograph a Meal
Use today to create one of your family recipes, then photograph your creation for display in your final project.
Day 17
Project Work Day
Use today to really work hard on completing your project. You may find that you need additional information, or a few more recipes as you continue the project, so give yourself plenty of time to be sure you’ve got everything together and ready.
Tip: If you find yourself done early, explore and try another ancestor homeland recipe using day 6 and day 8 as your guide.
Day 18
Project Work Day
Use today to really work hard on completing your project. You may find that you need additional information, or a few more recipes as you continue the project, so give yourself plenty of time to be sure you’ve got everything together and ready.
Tip: If you find yourself done early, explore and try another ancestor homeland recipe using day 6 and day 8 as your guide.
Day 19
Project Work Day
Use today to really work hard on completing your project. You may find that you need additional information, or a few more recipes as you continue the project, so give yourself plenty of time to be sure you’ve got everything together and ready.
Tip: If you find yourself done early, explore and try another ancestor homeland recipe using day 6 and day 8 as your guide.
Day 20
Finalize your Project
Have a family member do a proofread of the project, looking for anything missing or out of place, sometimes fresh eyes are the best. Finalize last minute details. If you plan to make additional copies of the project, be sure to make a plan for completing the remaining copies, including deadlines. Place any orders for online orders today.
Day 21
Document Your Experience
You did it! You just spent the last 21 days connecting with family and friends! You connected with the past, present and the future. Congratulations!
Take your post-experiment survey and final weekly experiment check-in to document how you have grown. Even if you didn’t complete all 21 days, you still committed to making connections, so please still fill out the survey. We value your input. Thank you!
Share what you did with us on: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or TikTok.
Easy images to share and invite others to join you:
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