Digitize a recipe photo or old recipe card
How to turn a photo, screenshot, or handwritten-style recipe card into a clean recipe draft you can check and cook from.
A photo can save a lot of typing, but it is only the first step. Lighting, handwriting, folded pages, screenshots, and small print can all create mistakes. The important part is not that the text was recognized once. The important part is that you can check and correct the draft before cooking.
Make the photo easy to read
- Use good light and keep shadows away from the text.
- Photograph the full recipe, including ingredients and servings.
- Take a second close-up when the ingredient list is small.
- Check numbers, temperatures, and units especially carefully.
After extraction, compare the draft with the original. Missing oil, wrong grams, or a skipped topping can change the recipe a lot. Old recipe cards also use household wording like a cup, a splash, or until done. Convert those into practical amounts when you want nutrition values later.
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