by Joan Inong

Created on: September 22, 2009

I discovered the Cooking Club of America when I was a teenager. Being an avid baker led me to find clubs and organizations which would encourage my love for baking and cooking. Some years later, I still have some of the products that I bought from the Cooking Club of America, and they have been put to good use. However, I do not think that the Club would be appropriate for my needs now.

Joining the Club was easy then and it's still relatively easy now. All you have to do is sign up for their magazine, and then you pay $1 a month. $10 of each year's dues goes towards the magazine. Back then, the dues were less than $30 a year. From time to time, the Cooking Club of America would send me books that always tempted me to buy. I bought three of their titles (one about some basic cooking techniques, one about pastas, and one about baking). Although these books have gorgeous pictures and have lots of useful information, I now realize that I could have gotten all of this information for free online. Back then, I wasn't using the Internet for free recipes and cooking techniques nearly as much as I do today.

Sometimes, the Club would send other offers from partner companies. I always felt a little pressured to buy something because it was too much of a hassle to return the product. However, virtually all of the products that I previewed were relatively inexpensive and besides, I wanted to keep them all. Being a teenager who made no money was not a help, either. I would spend nearly $15 for one book (hardcover) but use it rarely afterwards.

If you love to bake or cook, you may be too advanced for whatever the Cooking Club of America will offer you. While I found their books to be beautiful on the inside and out, they contained overly repeated information. Not only that, but you can find all of the information that you need online. If you want more informative cookbooks which have more recipes, you should look for a book at your local bookstore.

All in all, I would only recommend the Cooking Club of America if you want to feel like you are part of a club. However, that's about all you can get for free with this club. You may get a few free stickers or some cheaply made gifts, but in general you will find this club to be a hassle.

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