Hands-On Tech 211: Moving Recipes to Apple Notes

Release Date: April 13, 2025
Host: Leo Laporte
Podcast: All TWiT.tv Shows (Audio)

Introduction

In this episode of Hands-On Tech, host Leo Laporte tackles a practical tech challenge submitted by a listener. The focus is on efficiently managing and formatting recipes using Apple Notes, BBEdit, and other specialized applications.

Listener's Question: Organizing Recipes in Apple Notes

Listener Wayne reaches out with a conundrum: He has been using the Notes app on his iPhone, which syncs seamlessly with his Mac, to copy recipes from Apple News. His plan involves using BBEdit to reformat these recipes into HTML using a custom template. However, he's fallen behind and discovered that Automator cannot access Notes as needed for his workflow.

Wayne's Inquiry:
"I have been using notes on my iPhone that syncs to the Mac to copy recipes from Apple News, etc. The plan was to use BBEdit to copy Reformat the recipes into HTML using a template that I have. Obviously I'm way behind. I was figuring I could use Automator to copy the title to the top of the HTML template, copy the ingredient list to below the first table and the direction list to the middle HTML direction list. As things turn out, Automator doesn't access Notes. Sigh. So Wayne says, any thoughts?"
[01:43]

Leo's Response: Streamlining Recipe Management

Leo acknowledges Wayne's challenges and offers a more efficient solution by recommending specialized recipe management apps over the current method involving BBEdit and Automator.

Leo Laporte:
"Wayne, thank you for taking the time to write in with your question. As things turn out, Automator doesn't access Notes. Sigh."
[07:20]

Recommendations:

1. Use Purpose-Built Recipe Managers:

   • Paprika: Available on the App Store, Paprika is highly recommended for its ability to format recipes effectively. It extracts essential elements like the title, ingredients, and directions from cluttered text sources and presents them in a user-friendly format.
   • Crouton: Another excellent choice, often highlighted by RoseMary Orchard of iOS Today, Crouton offers robust features for recipe organization and formatting.

2. Leveraging the Share Sheet:

   • Both Paprika and Crouton integrate with the iOS share sheet, allowing users to effortlessly share recipes from Apple News directly into these apps. This bypasses the need for manual formatting and ensures consistency.

Leo Laporte:
"Paprika will properly format the recipe. It will go to those sites that have the huge paragraphs of text before you actually ever get to the recipe and find exactly what the recipe is, find exactly what the instructions are and then format it in a way that makes sense."
[08:10]

3. Cross-Platform Syncing:

   • Paprika is available not only on iOS but also on macOS, Windows, and Android. This ensures that recipes are accessible and editable across all devices, enhancing flexibility and convenience.

4. Exporting and Printing:

   • After formatting, recipes can be exported from Paprika to Apple Notes, BBEdit, or other preferred platforms. Additionally, Paprika offers a robust printing feature, allowing users to create PDFs or print recipes on index cards or standard US letter-sized paper.

Leo Laporte:
"This is going to be a much easier process than trying to use BBEdit to reformat the recipes in a way that you want them."
[07:20]

Advantages of Specialized Recipe Apps Over BBEdit and Automator

• Efficiency: Specialized apps automate the extraction and formatting process, saving time and reducing manual effort.
• Accuracy: These apps accurately identify and separate recipe components, ensuring clean and organized entries.
• Enhanced Features: Beyond formatting, features like meal planning, grocery lists, and syncing across devices add value.

Final Thoughts and Encouragement

Leo wraps up by reaffirming the benefits of using dedicated recipe management tools and encourages Wayne—and all listeners facing similar challenges—to adopt these solutions for a more streamlined and enjoyable cooking experience.

Leo Laporte:
"Wayne, thank you for taking the time to write in with your question... I encourage you if you are unsure of the kind of answer that I've provided or if there are other questions that you have, you can always get in touch and we can figure out some other steps to take to get to an answer and a solution that works for you."
[09:20]

Additional Resources

• Club Twit Membership:
  • For listeners seeking an enhanced podcast experience, Leo promotes Club Twit, offering ad-free access to all TWiT shows, a members-only Discord server, and exclusive content for just $7 a month with a two-week free trial.

Leo Laporte:
"Club Twit would love to see you in the club. You gain access to every single one of our shows ad free. Just the content, access to the members only Discord server, access to the TWIT plus bonus feed plus so much more."
[09:48]

Notable Quotes

• On Recipe Management Solutions:
  "Paprika will properly format the recipe... make it easy for you to create your recipes."
  [08:10]

• On Listener Engagement:
  "Wayne, thank you for taking the time to write in with your question."
  [07:20]

• On Seeking Further Assistance:
  "If you are unsure of the kind of answer that I've provided or if there are other questions, you can always get in touch..."
  [09:20]

Conclusion

This episode of Hands-On Tech provides valuable insights into optimizing recipe management on Apple devices. By leveraging specialized applications like Paprika or Crouton, users can significantly enhance their culinary organization, moving beyond the limitations of general-purpose tools like BBEdit and Automator.

For more tech tips and solutions, tune in to future episodes of Hands-On Tech on TWiT.tv.