Setup

Installation

Get the free theme and the Pro plugin installed and activated. Five minutes, three steps, no terminal required.

Updated May 2026 · 2 min read

This guide walks you through installing both the free Food Recipes theme and the Food Recipes Pro companion plugin. The free theme is on the WordPress.org directory; the Pro plugin is delivered as a ZIP from your FasterThemes account.

1. Install the free theme

From your WordPress dashboard, navigate to Appearance → Themes → Add New, search for Food Recipes, and click Install, then Activate.

Why install from WordPress.org? You get automatic updates straight from the dashboard and can be sure you're running the version that's been audited and approved by the theme review team.

Once activated, you'll see a welcome notice in the dashboard. The theme works fully on its own — every page template, the editorial homepage, the customizer, and the navigation are all included in the free theme.

2. Install the Pro plugin

Back in WordPress, go to Plugins → Add New → Upload Plugin, choose the ZIP file, click Install Now, and then Activate. That's it. No FTP, no command line.

# If you prefer the command line:
wp plugin install /path/to/food-recipes-pro.zip --activate

3. Activate your license

Go to Settings → Food Recipes Pro and paste your license key. The key is in the same email where you received the download link, and also in your account dashboard.

Once activated, you'll receive automatic updates through the standard WordPress updates flow — same as any plugin from the wp.org directory.

Tip: A single license activates one site. If you need to move to a new domain, deactivate the license on the old site first, then activate on the new one.

Next steps

You're done with the install. Now head to the First Steps guide to populate your site with sample content using the demo importer, or jump straight to the Recipe Card Block reference if you're ready to publish your first recipe.

Next →Getting Started