Need advice on MasterCook

[alli]

I found the MasterCook computer cd for $9.99, is this a good deal and is the Master Cook a good purchase? Any thoughts would be appreciated!! Thank you!

[pmmahan]

Yes, that is a good deal. I think it retails for about $30.00. I won one on auction at eBay - Master Cook Cooking Light Express for 12.50. Is there a difference between the Express and the 'regular'. When reading the different descriptions, I couldn't tell.

[LGBurns]

I personally don't have Master Cook and I'd really love to hear more from those who have it and use it regularly. I am normally very pro-computer, but I am still skeptical about Master Cook. Why do you like it? How much do you use it? How often do you enter recipes and how long, in general, do you think it takes? My concerns are: Doesn't it take a long time to enter recipes? Don't you miss skimming through your cookbooks? Don't you miss out on recipes you might not have thought to put in the program and later hear about (like on this board) but don't have anymore? Thanks to anyone who can respond.

[Laura B]

There have been quite a few posts about MasterCook. If you search the board you should find 4 or 5 posts at least and they ought to cover all of the basics.

I think Express is not as current as the regular Mastrcook and does not have as many functions. But I am not sure about that.

[pmmahan]

I looked through the old threads, and the one I got from ebay was indeed an older version. Once I outgrow this version, can I upgrade the software, like with Windows, or do I have to buy the new 6.0 package?

[Grace]

LGBurns:

You can buy monthly cookpacs from www.cookn.com. (http://www.cookn.com.) They contain every single recipe from that month's issue. You download each "cookpac" to your hard drive or a diskette (I use a diskette), and then you copy over any recipes you want to your MasterCook software. It takes only a few seconds. No typing involved. And, if, like you say, you come across a recipe you didn't put in your software that you hear about on this BB, you still have all the recipes on the diskette - you can go back and "get" that one recipe and copy it over. I don't have MasterCook, I have the CL CookWare Software that comes for free when you buy your first cookpac, but the cookpacs are compatible with both softwares. As far as how often do I use it? EVERY DAY!!! I keep all my magazines for those times when I want to peruse the magazines, but when I'm in a hurry, and I have a pound of ground beef staring at me from the fridge, I like to be able to go to the computer and put in "ground beef", and just get those recipes, rather than search 10 years of magazines to find something I can make for dinner. There are indeed numerous threads on this subject with more ideas and opinions, if you do a search you can see what other people think and do. Hope that helps!


[This message has been edited by Grace (edited 12-18-2000).]

[Laura B]

Originally posted by pmmahan:
I looked through the old threads, and the one I got from ebay was indeed an older version. Once I outgrow this version, can I upgrade the software, like with Windows, or do I have to buy the new 6.0 package?

You will have to buy the new version. But it is worth it! And when I bought my 6.0 it came with a free year of Cooking Light. That almost makes up for the purchase price (which is like 25 dollars from amazon).

[Beth]

Siera sometimes has updates or fixes for the programs, but I haven't see upgrades. But then, even the top of the line program (Best of MasterCook)is a fraction of what you'd pay for something like Windows, and they do have frequent rebates and other special offers. And when you install a new program, it will incorporate all the cookbooks from the old program, so you don't have to keep buying all the parts to get the newest features, just the basic. By the way, I saw MasterCook 6.0 (the newest version) at Target recently for $19.99.

[mommywannabe]

Just bought Mastercook 6.0 at Costco for $25, but there is a $10 mail-in rebate. I haven't installed it yet, but look forward to playing with it next week when I'm off work for the holidays.

[almiter]

Are the Mastercooks that you found at Costco and Target Cooking Light MasterCooks or the regular Master Cook? Thanks!

[BevP]

I have MasterCook 5.0 and love it. I've put all my cookbooks aside and use a laptop in the kitchen. Away from spills and such. I take the time to add my favorite recipes so I only have to look in one place for my recipes instead of trying to remember where favorites were.

I'm also creating a cookbook of my maternal grandmother's recipes for the family. But that's a different story.

What I like about the mastercook is the nutrition information. Version 5.0 actually breaks it down into the ADA food guide.

[Don]

I am a MasterCook fanatic. Every week, I plan my meals using the software. MasterCook creates my shopping list (which I then can modify), and I print out my recipes for the week. The program definitely made me much more efficient. For the first couple of weeks, it seemed like it was more work than it was worth. Now, I couldn't live without it.

As for the "Express" versions, as far as I can tell, the difference is the number of recipes included. My mother bought the Express version, and the software seems identical. However, I got over 2,000 recipes with my software, and she got about 300. Otherwise, the programs look the same.

[LGBurns]

Thanks to everyone for your input. I did look at the old MC posts, but was interested to hear more of the day-to-day use of MC (most of the previous posts were about technical issues). I think this is going to go on the top of my birthday list. One more question, I noticed that MC keeps track of pantry items that you have. Do those who use MC use this feature? Is it "user-friendly." I ask because, of all the features, this appeals to me the most -- I am constantly throwing things out that have gone bad because I forgot that I had them. TIA.

[mommywannabe]

Almiter...sorry for the delayed reply. The MasterCook that I purchased at Costco doesn't reference Cooking Light on it's packaging.

[Lauren]

I recently purchased MC CL 6.0 at BestBuy for around $30 with a free year of CL, but I saw it last week at Target. It's the same 6.0 version for around $20. Also, I saw MC at Home Goods for $10, but it was a sample package (Best of?) of MC from CL, Betty Crocker, and another one. Personally, I would rather have the CL version. One of my objectives was to be able to get rid of stacks of CL. I love the way I can paste recipes recommended on this board into "my cookbook" in MC. It's so easy to do searches, print recipes, shopping lists, etc.

Lauren

[Beth]

Sorry for the delay in responding...the one I saw at Target for $19.99 was CL. I saw both of them at Best Buy. They were a little more, but the MC had a $10 rebate and CL there had the free year of the CL magazine.

[that_las_girl]

Oh boy, You know, I've had my CL MC for ohhh geez...a little over a year now, and just never got into it..but you all are convincing me!! I guess I don't know where to start with it...Did you just start entering your favorite recipes right away..making them into a cookbook of your own?

~las

[pmmahan]

So excited! My fiance bought me MC Cl 6.0 for Christmas; I am so excited to use it. I played around with it a little last night, looked at the videos, some of the old CL cookbooks, and started a pantry. I can't wait to use the meal planning feature!

[venus]

Wow! So you can input what you have in your cupboards/fridge into mastercook and it will keep track of it for you? Can you input any recipe into it and it will calculate the nutritional information? Will it halve recipes for you? I've heard people talk about Mastercook before but I never knew that it did all this! I might have to get it...

[pmmahan]

venus-
yeah! you can do all those things with it! plus there are like 3,000 recipes from old CL issues....i can't wait to delve in tonight!

[almiter]

I'm so excited! I just bought the new CL Mastercook 6.0. Thanks for your reply mommywannabe about where to find. Unfortunately the Target by my house did not have the CL version so I ended up paying $30 at Comp USA. At least the $10 rebate and the free year of CL magazine offset the price.

My intention this week since my husband is off work for a week is to get organized and plan out a few months worth of menus. I waste so much $ at the grocery store since I never have meals planned ahead. I always end up impulse buying and a lot of what I buy I forget why.

Just wanted to share my excitement and new commitment to organizing my life!