Can Babs help you start a cookbook club?

How to host and enter to win a virtual cookbook club with Babs!

Apr 03, 2025

Hi everybody, it’s Babs.

It’s Day Two of our thank you series, and I’m having so much fun announcing all of these giveaways for anyone who orders Every Day With Babs. Thank you, thank you, thank you for all the love you have shown me and this book. It means the world to me.

Yesterday, I announced that I am giving away a HUGE kitchen refresh–everything you need to get dinner on the table and cook the recipes in Every Day With Babs. Today’s giveaway is a chance to throw a cookbook club with me as your special guest. I want to host a virtual cookbook club for you and your friends, which you can read more about below.

But before we dive in, there are more giveaways coming! I’ll be announcing one more giveaway tomorrow here in the newsletter and on Instagram. You have until midnight on May 17 to order your book and enter to win.

Babs’ Cookbook Club Starter Kit

Have you ever heard of a cookbook club? It works a little bit like a regular book club: A group of friends gets together to discuss a book, but with the added bonus that everyone brings a dish from the book for the group to try. I wanted to find a way to celebrate Every Day With Babs from afar, so I came up with the idea for me to visit you and your friends virtually at a cookbook club. Here’s how it will work:

You invite a group of up to five friends to your house for an Every Day With Babs cookbook club at a time that works for both of us.

I’ll send you a box of personalized books with a signed copy for each of your guests, so that everyone can test a dish from the book, and a grocery gift card, so everyone can make their favorite dish.

Then I’ll join your cookbook club for a hello via Zoom, during which we can talk about recipes in the book, how I meal plan–really anything your group would enjoy!

I hope you’ll be excited to enter to win this giveaway! Feeling inspired by the idea of a cookbook club? I put together some tips for how to get one started with your friends. Trust me, it’s easy and fun to do.

How to host a cookbook club

Find your foodies

You need at least four people for a successful club, so you can try at least four recipes from each book you choose. You probably know which of your friends are avid cooks, but ask anyone you’d like to join: Cookbook clubs aren’t just about making the most elaborate, fancy recipes. If you choose recipes like the ones in Every Day With Babs, you and your friends can build up a repertoire of go-to everyday meals.

Choose your cadence

Meeting monthly seems to work for many people, since it’s often enough to feel engaging, but not too often to be a burden to schedule. I think it’s nice if you can find a recurring time, like say the first Wednesday of the month, so that people can plan ahead.

Pick your book

Some groups let the host pick the book each time, but I think talking about what book to cook from as a group is half of the fun of a cookbook club! It’s nice if everyone proposes a book they’re interested in. Sometimes more than one person will come with the same suggestion!

Divvy up the recipes

Once your group picks a book, everyone browses the book for a recipe they’ll make and bring to the next meeting. You’ll have to coordinate a little to make sure you’ve got a nice range of dishes, including at least one main and a dessert. Some people do this with a spreadsheet, but I’m not much of a spreadsheet type: I say group text to figure it out. Like book clubs, cookbook clubs usually rotate who hosts, and the host tackles a “main” dish from the cookbook (in case someone can’t come at the last minute!) and provides the beverages.

Cook and share

Everyone is responsible for cooking one dish–and taking notes about how it goes (for example, were there hard-to-find ingredients or did it take forever?). Then you all bring your prepared dish to the meeting to share. While you eat, discuss the food!

Make a plan to repeat

Solidify your plans for the next cookbook club before you part ways. Pick a host, a date and time, and a cookbook to cook from. If everyone doesn’t want to buy a copy, you can buy a couple to share, and/or request cookbooks from the library.

XO, Babs

How to enter:

Order the book–you can do this anywhere (online or your local bookshop–just save your receipt).
Head to this link to enter your order details and information, anytime before 11:59 pm ET on May 17, 2025.
You must live in the United States to be eligible to enter.

Enter to win

The winner will be announced on May 18, 2025.

Order Sweepstakes FAQs

If I pre-ordered already, can I enter?

Yes! All orders placed at any time through 11:59 pm ET on May 17, 2025 are now eligible to enter. If you preordered the book before this contest was announced, you may still enter your order information above to participate in this sweepstakes.

I live outside of the U.S., can I still enter?

No, unfortunately, this is only open to U.S. residents.

Does my book tour ticket count as a preorder if I purchased it in advance?

Maybe! If your book tour ticket includes a book as part of your ticket, you can enter. If it was an event-only ticket, you cannot.

Will I receive an email confirmation?

No. A confirmation of your entry should appear on the page once you have completed the form. You will not receive an email confirmation of your entry into this sweepstakes.

How will I know if I have won?

The winners will be announced during a virtual book launch party at the Basket House on May 18, 2025. Winners will also receive an email on May 5th confirming the news.

What if I can’t find my order number?

You can submit a photo of a receipt or a screenshot of your order–anything to show us you purchased Every Day With Babs before April 8.

What are the chances I’ll win?

You never know! The only way to win is to try–that’s something I learned when I started a new career in my 70s. I hope you’ll try your luck!