Last update: July 11, 2017
This month we’re all about FOCUS. There are a zillion things to distract us when we’re online. Among them, are all the different features for our websites.
So let me narrow down the field for you when it comes to recipe plugins.
Note: our side-by-side summary is after the individual reviews
Our Recipe Plugin Review Criteria
A recipe plugin needs to
- convert your text into 2 SEO formats for Google
- convert your text into Pinterest rich pin format
- make it easy to add all the bits and bobs: instructions, photos, videos, nutritional info, etc
- make it easy for your readers to rate, review, print or save your recipe
- optionally, connect to a nutritional database for ingredients
We will review the top three recipe plugins available for WordPress: WP Recipe Maker, WP Tasty by Pinch of Yum, and Cookbook by Feast Design Co.
First up, let’s review WP Tasty by Pinch of Yum.
WP Tasty Recipe Plugin
Things we love about WP Tasty
Unique to WP Tasty (aff link), is the ‘ad integration’ feature. WP Tasty makes it easy to add ads to the recipe or the print-page of the recipe. The other two plugins are able to support ads, as long as the ad provider has them enabled.
Convert one at a time – unique to this plugin is also a testing feature for the import. This feature allows you to test the import before committing to converting them all. I just know that a blogger thought of this!
Also unique to this plugin is a preview of the entire recipe in the post screen.
Regarding Nutrition Labels
WP Tasty integrates seamlessly with Nutrifox. If you have a subscription for Nutrifox ($89/year) you just create the label per usual, grab the ID and add it to the WP Tasty Plugin box. It will print the label automatically for you!
In summary:
- ad integration
- easy to use interface
- more than one recipe per post (edit: Jul. 17)
- test recipe conversion
- recipe previews
- nutrition integration
- print link
- star ratings
Wishlist for WP Tasty
- lower price point
- reviews
- more than 1 recipe per post
Making this plugin more expensive is the Nutrifox integration for an additional $89/year – this isn’t necessary if you don’t need to provide nutritional information to your audience.
CookBook Recipe Plugin
Things we love about CookBook
CookBook comes with a neat interface that the others don’t have. Your recipes have their own section – they are “Custom Post Types”. So you can create and edit your recipes and organize them separately.
You can put as many or few recipes on any post that you want – hello roundups!
The user interface is the regular WordPress editor – super easy to use. Add images and titles, bold or italics, and links as you wish. Who else just heard Pirate Roberts in their heads?
Unique to CookBook and WP Recipe Maker is the “Jump to Recipe” link.
Summary:
- easy interface
- more than one recipe per post
- Jump to Recipe link
- print link
- star rating
Wishlist for CookBook
- nutrition integration
- more import tools
- review system
WP Recipe Maker
Things we love about WP Recipe Maker
WP Recipe Maker has an amazing array of options that the others don’t!
We love the
- price!
- Jump to Recipe link
- print link
- super fast loading
- star rating
- review system
With the Premium Add-on ($49) you also get:
- adjustable servings
- affiliate link system
- kitchen timer
Nutrition Integration is a $39 add-on (on top of the Premium version) that connects to the API, giving you automatic information.
The kitchen timer and adjustable servings aren’t necessary but are definitely pretty cool! If you regularly put ingredients in your recipes for 4 people, your readers can change the servings to whatever they like and the ingredients will automatically adjust for them! Small things amuse me!
The kitchen timer is another pretty cool little gimmick. If your instructions set a time for 20 minutes, the reader only has to press the kitchen timer on their tablet or phone (whatever is in the kitchen with them), and the timer starts! Again, this makes my geeky heart sing!
Wish list for WP Recipe Maker
There’s not much this recipe plugin doesn’t have!
If I was going to be picky, I could ask for a nicer interface… pictured below. On the upside, it is faster than the other two plugins.
Summary – Top 3 WordPress Recipe Plugins
Beginner Checklist
If you’re starting out, you’ll love our comprehensive 52 point checklist for your website! Read through once, and then work on items one at a time as it comes up!
Cathy Mitchell
Single Mom, Lifelong Learner, Jesus Follower, Founder and CEO at WPBarista.