Hi and Welcome to TBFS!

Here at TBFS, we have a small but dedicated team that work hard to provide quality recipes to you, for free! We are so happy you stopped by.

If you are looking for approachable, delicious recipes you can count on, you are in the right place. Our recipe index contains all types of food for any level cook and don’t miss our VERY popular free meal plans.

Our Mission:

Our mission is to bring the JOY back to cooking.

With the right recipe and tools, cooking is FUN! Our recipes are approachable for every skill level and any level of cook.

Meal Plans: We are proud to offer FREE weekly meal plans that include a grocery shopping list with budget information. You can create your own meal plan with your favorite recipes, or you can use our preset meal plans, and even customize them in case there’s a recipe you want to swap out.

If you’d like to receive a free meal plan to your email each week, subscribe here.

The Path That Lead Us Here

Founder, Lauren Allen, grew up in a home where everything was made from scratch; from egg noodles and chicken stock to jam and bread. Upon leaving home and entering the world of dreary college cafeteria food, she, along her twin sister, Liz, were eager to compile their treasured recipes into an online collection; Tastes Better from Scratch (TBFS).
Lauren is passionate about sharing great food and recipes that are approachable and fun for the everyday cook. TBFS recipes cover a variety of cuisine, including Spanish recipes like Paella and Tortilla de Patata from her time living in Madrid, Spain, and Mexican favorites like tamales, mole, and Mexican rice from her months living in Puebla, Mexico. You’ll also find delicious Italian cuisine from contributors Stef and Alex, shared from their home country. Lauren believes food has an amazing way of helping us share and discover different cultures, even if we are unable to visit in person.
Today, TBFS attracts more than 10 million readers each month, with a loyal and diverse following on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, and Youtube. The TBFS Cookbook is available on Amazon and other online book retailers. TBFS has been featured by USA Today, Country Living Magazine, Yahoo, BuzzFeed, MSN, and many others.

Meet Our Team:

Meet Lauren, the founder and owner of TBFS whose primary focus is recipe creation. She’s a mom of four and loves the outdoors.

Meet Liz, the Director of Operations and team manager. She loves outdoor recreation and good food.

Meet Stacy, the social media maestro behind this page! When she isn’t busy making waves in the social media world, she enjoys traveling, trying new foods and making sour dough bread.

Meet our Content Contributors:

Stefania is the blogger behind stefaniaskitchenette.com where she discusses Italian cuisine. She is a Spèos food photographer who loves clear and bright styles and pays attention to every detail.

Alex is a journalist, food critic, and recipe creator. Due to his kitchen experience in a Michelin-star restaurant, he now loves to share techniques and tips for home cooking.

Stefania and Alex are a couple in both work and life. They live in Italy with their little dog Amelia. Having fun in the kitchen is their motto!

It’s Because of you:

Every recipe you make, and every click, comment and rating on my website supports my business, and allows me to provide this content for free. You’re feedback is invaluable; If you’ve made something you enjoyed, I would greatly appreciate if you leave a comment and a star rating on the recipe!

FAQ’s

Do you have a cookbook

We are so excited about the Tastes Better from Scratch Cookbook! Peek inside and purchase it here.

What’s your go-to recipe for hosting guests?

I love this questions and I get it often. I think it depends on the situation!
– Fancy-vibe: Braised short ribs
– Cozy-vibe: Chicken Cordon Bleu
– Summer-vibe: Grilled Hawaiian bowls or kabobs

What is your favorite cooking equipment?

Having the right equipment makes all the difference in a successful cooking experience. I’ve listed my favorites, and must-haves on my amazon page!

Why should I create an account? What do I get?

Creating a free account allows you to save recipes, customize meal plans, create your own meal plans or recipe collections, and generate your own grocery shopping list. Get started here!

What meal do you bring to a family in need?

When someone is sick, grieving, had a new baby, etc, I like to bring something fresh and healthy, like grilled chicken tenders with roasted vegetables, wild rice, fresh fruit or artisan bread. If they have young children or picky eaters, a “build your own” taco bar with taco chicken, ground beef, or sweet pulled pork with good tortillas and all the sides (salsa, pico, guac, rice, refried beans).

Favorite healthy recipe?

This is difficult because we have lot’s of healthy dinner recipes, but lately i’m obsessed with these Spring Roll Bowls!

How often do you share new recipes?

You can find new recipes and refreshed older recipes at least 3x a week. You can find our newest recipes at the top of our homepage or you can join our email list to have them shared with you weekly or each time a new one is published.

How do I participate in your monthly challenge?

Our monthly cooking challenge happens on facebook and IG where each month we highlight one recipe. If you make the recipe and leave a review on the recipe you have the change to win $100. If you’d like to be notified by email about our monthly challenge, sign up here.