October 2026

MEMORY LANE MUSINGS

Church cookbooks are snapshots in time, treasured heirlooms

by Sara Jordan-Heintz

One of my favorite collectibles is cookbooks. More than a repository of recipes, these tomes offer a glimpse into the past that encompasses social, economic, political, and religious aspects of society.

Compiled by “amateur cooks,” these books often commemorated a church’s milestone anniversary and/or served as a fundraiser.
I learned that Cookbook Publishers Inc out of Overland Park, KS, printed many of these works, taking recipes from churches, schools, non-profit organizations, and families and turning them into books since 1947.

Today, you can download a free digital cookbook information kit to get started.

“You can count on great recipes in church cookbooks because every woman donated her very best recipes. After all, her name was going to be printed with it,” says my friend Mary Dooley of Albion, Iowa.

She was part of a group that assembled “Accent on Albion” for the Albion United Methodist Church back in 1974.
“A church member, Bonnie Harmon, did the drawings. I don’t even remember helping on that part, but we spent hours going through all the recipe submissions, sorting into categories and comparing them, to eliminate duplicates, which is why you see multiple names sometimes. Lots of work but also lots of laughter around the table in our church kitchen,” she recalls. “Sadly, as has happened in many small towns across Iowa, our church is no more. That robust congregation dwindled over the years and after taking down the aging church building and meeting in various locations and homes, we finally closed a few years ago. So the church cookbook is our final tie to our church. And every time I use someone’s recipe, I remember who she was and what she meant to me.”

Michelle Boice of Naperville, IL, recognizes the nostalgia these cookbooks evoke in collectors. Founder of Sending You Sunshine (joyful letters sent by mail) and the Lost & Found Cookbook Club, she has amassed more than 7,000 vintage church, school, hometown, and community cookbooks from across the United States. Her members get one mystery gift-wrapped vintage cookbook delivered by mail each month.

 

Vegetable Dip (salsa)

Recipe from the First Christian Church 100th anniversary cookbook

Vegetable Dip (Salsa) from Bonnie Gross

Ingredients:
3 to 4 tomatoes
1 red onion
3 green or colored peppers
1 can chopped black olives, drained
1 can chopped green chilies
1 can black beans, drained
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:
Chop all vegetables and add black beans, salt, and pepper to taste.
Mix together and chill at least a half to one hour.
Serve with chips or crackers.
Enjoy!

 

Michelle Boice, who runs the Lost & Found Cookbook Club, loves finding new homes for the more than 7,000 cookbooks in her collection. (Image courtesy of the author)

“Along the way, I’ve come to believe these books are one of America’s most overlooked historical records. They preserve local traditions, family stories, church histories, community organizations, recipes, memorials, and even advertisements from businesses that disappeared decades ago,” Boice points out.

An eBay search for “old church cookbooks” got me 690 hits. I found that women’s service clubs and fraternal non-profits (some defunct) often spearheaded these efforts. Cookbook titles were often punny such as: “Feeding the Flock,” “A Modern Collection of Old Recipes,” “Our Daily Bread,” “Bread of Life,” “Sharing Our Blessings,” “The Fruit of the Spirit,” and “Heavenly Recipes.”

Boice notes church cookbooks are reflective of how real people cook (bucking the trend of celebrity chefs) and buyers are drawn to cookbooks that harken back, be it memories of Sunday dinner at grandma’s house or recipes that connect to one’s cultural or religious heritage.

“I like to tell people why these cookbooks work is because it’s stuff you probably have already in your cabinets,” she says.
Lauri Cruver Cherian of Lake Jackson, Texas, told me she treasures her copy of a church cookbook from Katy, Texas, from an Apostolic Church.

“It is such a wonderful and sweet cookbook with extra little words of wisdom and encouragement. My favorite recipe from it is cottage cheese pancakes. I made it for my kids almost every Saturday,” she says.

It’s hard not to judge a book by its cover. Collectors are drawn to a cookbook’s variety of recipes (or focus), unique illustrations, helpful hints, and overall condition. While not always the case, many cookbooks are designed as spiral bound, to make it easier to keep the pages open.

“People just love them. I sit and read cookbooks. Do I cook everything? No. Do I have time? No. But boy, it’s sure nice to dream,” Boice laughs.

 

Sara Jordan-Heintz is a journalist, author, and editor based in Iowa. An “old soul” she is an avid collector of vintage jewelry, Russian stacking dolls, and autographs. In her free time she’s a voracious reader and lover of classic movies — “All About Eve” being her top pick. Her favorite fictional sleuths are Columbo and Jessica Fletcher. She holds a degree in American Studies from the University of Iowa. Connect with her at: sara.jordan909@gmail.com.