Meal prep is boring or hard work. There's only so much chicken, rice and broccoli you can eat in a week and it's easy to cook way too much. If you're a busy person who, for example, works shifts and doesn't fancy whipping up a dish at 3 am, we have your back. Gookie Dough is always here for a tasty dessert and here are some little hacks that may benefit that dreaded prep.

(Image credit: Smile Sandwich) 

Flavours

It's important to balance your flavours. There's only so much bland food or spice that you can eat. Whatever you cooked on a Sunday (say that is Indian) make sure you do a salad or Italian later on in the week and vice versa. Mix things up and don't fall into a repetitive trap. 

Defrosting

Of course, quick freezing your meal prep is a must-have to keep things fresh and is so convenient. Remember to only keep the first day's food in the fridge and freeze the rest of the meals to keep them fresh. No one wants a five-day-old curry that has been sat in the fridge. However, avoid things that don't defrost or reheat well like creamy sauces. 

Timing

Many people feel the need to do a full day of cooking in order to get it out of the way with for another week. However, by chopping produce and measuring out seasonings and sauces the day before means that you're already half prepared to cook the next day. The process of cooking then goes a lot smoother with less stopping and starting. 

Slow cooking 

We all know that a slow cooker is a life saver whether you are a busy worker or a student. This gem allows you to make all of your favourite meals without slaving away in the kitchen for hours. Put all your ingredients in and go and do your thing without the worry. This leads to batch cooking. By cooking basic meals such as bolognese in a batch means it saves time in the evenings and it's always good to come home to a hearty meal. 

Planning

Those of you who are diary hoarders, you may actually put that cute notebook to use. By keeping a calendar of meals, you can stop yourself from falling into repetition. If you've really enjoyed a dish you can make a note of it so when you don't know what to make, the idea is there waiting for you! A recipe you made wasn't that great? Make a list of no's. 

So, next time you're moaning about being bored with your meals or you're complaining about cooking, you have no excuses. Just remember, the Gookie Dough is sat in the fridge waiting for you for a little supper treat.