How to Bulk Digitize Your Recipes

AI-generated, human-reviewed.

The main insight from this episode of Hands-On Tech is how to streamline the conversion and bulk import of scanned paper recipes—like Blue Apron cards—into the Mela recipe manager app. Host Mikah Sargent shares automation strategies and AI tools that can save hours, making manual entry a thing of the past.

Why Digitizing Recipes Is Worth Your Time

Scanning and importing paper recipes to digital apps lets you organize, search, and access your collection from anywhere. If you have a stack of printed cards, doing this one-by-one can be tedious. Modern AI and automation tools now allow you to batch convert and import recipes, saving significant effort.

Quick Summary: What You Need to Know

• You can automate converting scanned PDF recipe cards into formatted files compatible with Mela.
• The recommended method involves using Claude’s Projects, OpenAI tools, or Google's Gemini to batch process recipes.
• Mac users can further automate file handling with Hazel, a utility that watches folders and triggers scripts automatically.
• Some recipe scanning apps like Cookbook, Paprika, or Recipe Keeper offer partial solutions, but custom automation delivers the most seamless results.

How to Apply This: Step-by-Step Workflow

1. Scan Your Recipe Cards

• Use a multifunctional scanner or office printer to create OCR-enabled PDFs for each card. Make sure the text is actually recognized by scanning software.

2. Set Up a Dedicated AI Project

• On platforms like Claude, create a custom project with instructions and upload the Mela JSON format specification.
• Instruct the AI to extract recipe details from uploaded PDFs and output them in valid JSON ready for Mela.

3. Batch Upload PDFs

• Most modern AI tools accept multiple files at once. Upload all your scanned recipe PDFs for processing.

4. Automate File Handling with Hazel (Mac)

• Install Hazel and set it to monitor your scan folder.
• Configure Hazel to run a script that sends new PDFs to the AI API and saves the formatted recipe files in a chosen directory—ideally one that syncs with your iCloud or Mela app.

5. Final Import

• Move the prepared Mela recipe files into the app for immediate access.

Pros & Cons of Each Method

AI Project Automation (Claude/OpenAI/Gemini)

• Pros: Handles batch uploads; remembers format specs; minimizes manual effort; can output files ready for import.
• Cons: Requires initial setup; may need some scripting or API use.

Hazel + Script Automation

• Pros: Fully automated workflow; integrates smoothly with Mac ecosystem; syncs recipe files across devices.
• Cons: Mac only; requires scripting or use of third-party APIs.

Recipe Scanning Apps (Cookbook, Paprika, Recipe Keeper)

• Pros: Simple; some handle direct OCR and import.
• Cons: May not export in Mela’s format; could require extra conversion steps.

Key Takeaways

• Setting up an AI project with the correct instructions is the easiest way to convert many recipes at once.
• Automating the workflow with folder monitoring and scripting (Hazel) delivers a near hands-off experience, especially for Mac users.
• Using OCR during scanning improves accuracy and speeds up text extraction.
• Manual conversion is no longer necessary with the right tools—batch processing is possible and practical.

What This Means for You

If you’re tired of tedious recipe entry, setting up an AI-driven automation is the fastest path to a digital recipe collection. The recommended steps save both time and frustration, especially if you have dozens (or hundreds) of cards to convert.

The Bottom Line

Batch importing recipes into Mela can be automated with Claude, OpenAI, or Gemini and streamlined further with tools like Hazel—eliminating manual entry and making your digital recipe collection manageable. If you regularly need to import recipes, investing time in this setup will pay off by saving many hours down the line.

Subscribe for more practical tech solutions:
https://twit.tv/shows/hands-on-tech/episodes/255