Best Practices

Follow these guidelines to create beautiful, accurate recipe designs.

Text Limitations

Understanding limits helps you prepare recipes that work well:

Recipe Title

Guideline	Value
Optimal length	50 characters
Maximum length	200 characters

Tips:

• Keep titles concise and descriptive
• Avoid subtitles in the title field
• "Grandma's Apple Pie" works better than "Grandma's Famous Apple Pie with Cinnamon Streusel Topping"

Ingredients

Guideline	Value
Optimal count	Up to 20
Maximum count	100
Warning shown	At 20+ ingredients

Tips:

• Combine related items when possible ("salt and pepper to taste")
• Use standard abbreviations (tsp, tbsp, cup)
• Group ingredients by section (For the crust:, For the filling:)

Instructions

Guideline	Value
Optimal steps	Up to 15
Maximum steps	50
Max per step	2,000 characters
Warning shown	At 15+ steps

Tips:

• Combine short related steps
• Keep each step focused on one action
• Avoid extremely detailed sub-steps

Raw Text Input

If pasting recipe text directly:

• Maximum: 10,000 characters
• Include clear section breaks
• Format ingredients as a list

Complexity Score

Recipes receive a complexity score that affects generation quality:

How It's Calculated

• 3 points per ingredient
• 5 points per instruction step
• 2 points per 100 characters of detailed text

Target Score

• Under 100 - Optimal for single-page designs
• 100-150 - May require style selection care
• Over 150 - Consider simplifying

Reducing Complexity

1. Combine ingredients where sensible
2. Merge short instruction steps
3. Move detailed tips to notes section
4. Consider splitting very long recipes

Photo Upload Tips

For best text extraction from photos:

Lighting

• Use natural daylight when possible
• Avoid harsh shadows across text
• Ensure even lighting on the page

Focus

• Keep the camera steady
• Tap to focus on the text
• Ensure all text is sharp and readable

Framing

• Include the entire recipe in frame
• Keep the paper flat (no curling)
• Avoid extreme angles

Quality

• Higher resolution is better
• Avoid blurry or motion-blurred photos
• Re-take if text appears fuzzy

Text Extraction Accuracy

To improve extraction results:

Handwritten Recipes

• Clear, consistent handwriting works best
• Cursive is supported but print is clearer
• Separate letters that run together
• Rewrite illegible sections before photographing

Printed/Typed Recipes

• Higher contrast (black text on white) works best
• Avoid colored or patterned backgrounds
• Standard fonts extract more accurately

Recipe Cards

• Old index cards often have fading—adjust lighting
• Stains or marks may cause extraction errors
• Consider retyping if extraction struggles

Style Selection Tips

Match your recipe to the right style:

Simple Recipes (Under 10 Ingredients)

Best styles: Modern Cookbook, Memory Book, Michelin Star

Complex Recipes (15+ Steps)

Best styles: Illustrated, Young Chefs

Cultural/Heritage Recipes

Best styles: Heritage, The Gathering, Scrapbook

Baked Goods

Best styles: Scrapbook, Modern Editorial, Illustrated

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Don't

• Include copyright notices or source attributions in recipe text
• Add personal notes mixed into ingredients
• Use excessive special characters or emojis
• Include URLs or website references

Do

• Keep recipes clean and focused
• Use the notes field for tips and variations
• Format ingredients consistently
• Review extracted text before generating

Recipe Box Best Practices

Build and grow your Recipe Box effectively.

Organizing Your Recipe Box

Consistent naming:

• Use a naming pattern like "Grandma's [Dish Name]" or "[Culture] [Dish Name]"
• Include the family member's name for attribution
• Keep titles searchable and descriptive

Adding heritage details:

• Always fill in the family member field
• Include the approximate year or decade
• Add the cultural origin (Italian, Southern, etc.)
• Write a brief origin story

Building Your Collection

Start with signature dishes:

1. Begin with 3-5 most treasured family recipes
2. Prioritize recipes at risk of being lost
3. Add recipes from different family members
4. Include dishes from various occasions (holidays, everyday, celebrations)

Maintain variety:

• Mix appetizers, mains, sides, and desserts
• Include both simple and complex recipes
• Add recipes from different generations
• Represent your family's cultural heritage

Visibility Strategy

When to use Private:

• Recipes still being perfected
• Personal notes or drafts
• Recipes you want to keep within immediate family

When to use Unlisted:

• Sharing with extended family
• Recipes you're not ready to publicize
• Testing before making public

When to use Public:

• Completed, polished recipes
• Recipes you want others to discover
• Cultural heritage you want to share
• Building your public Recipe Box

Growing Your Audience

Promote your Recipe Box:

1. Share your Recipe Box URL on social media
2. Include it in family newsletters
3. Add it to your email signature
4. Share individual recipes as conversation starters

Engage with the community:

• Browse the Recipe Box gallery for inspiration
• Discover recipes from similar cultural backgrounds
• Share your heritage story alongside recipes

Recipe Box Maintenance

Regular updates:

• Add new recipes as you digitize them
• Update recipes based on family feedback
• Review and enhance origin stories
• Keep visibility settings current

Quality over quantity:

• Each recipe should be complete and accurate
• Write meaningful origin stories
• Choose appropriate styles for each recipe
• Ensure photos and infographics look their best

Pre-Generation Checklist

Before using a credit, verify:

• Recipe title is correct and complete
• All ingredients are present
• Amounts and measurements are accurate
• Instructions are in the right order
• No typos or misspellings
• Recipe complexity is reasonable

Next Steps

• Understanding QA Review
• Explore all 8 styles
• Regeneration options