Future You doesn’t get cut a lot of slack. This version of you is always left to pick up the pieces after a big night. They’re the one who has to furiously prepare for that big meeting because Past You couldn’t be bothered. And Future You never gets to stay up late, instead, they go to bed early to bank the sleep you recklessly denied yourself.

It’s time to make up for all that and be kind to Future You with some do-ahead meal prep that makes cooking dinner even easier. This is a particularly good idea when you have a full week or plan to entertain. You know the saying: there ain’t no party like a well-prepped party. No, it may not be a saying, but just run with it because, hand on heart, it’s the honest truth.

While all of our recipes are approachable and easy, we (quite) like to think things can always get easier. Many QuiteLike recipes lend themselves to some do-ahead components, so if you know you’ll be short on time tomorrow, you can cut meal prep significantly by laying some groundwork today. Here’s a few time-saving tips…

Do-ahead patties and meatballs

Versatile mince is fantastic for making ahead, whether you plan to enjoy later that day, tomorrow or freeze for next week, it can handle waiting around a bit until you’re ready to cook. Burger patties, meatballs and kofte even take on more flavour after being infused with the herbs, spices and aromatics. Just bring them to room temperature before cooking.

Try it with our: Baked Beef Kofte with Warm Tomato and Corn Couscous; Baked Kangaroo Meatballs with Spaghetti; and Cheeseburgers with Oven Baked Chips.

Slow-cook today for fast eating tomorrow

If you’re entertaining, or even if you’re not, slow-cooking meat the day before means you’ll be more relaxed when it comes to serving and can focus on other parts of the meal while the main event gently reheats. Having a day or night in the fridge for flavours to develop also boosts the overall deliciousness of the dish.

Try it with our: Beef Barbacoa Tacos with Pickled Red Cabbage

Convenient pickles

Served as a side or garnish, pickles add vibrancy and punch to meals. By their very nature, pickles are designed to keep well for extended periods. So if you have a recipe that will benefit by or calls for a pickle, you can simply make it a day or a week ahead, cutting down time for the overall meal prep. Just make sure they’re kept in an airtight container in the fridge.

Try it with our: Beef Barbacoa Tacos with Pickled Red Cabbage; Fish Tacos with Creamy Avocado Dressing and Pickled Onion

Cool your rice

One of our favourite quick-fix dinners is simple fried rice. Make it even quicker by cooking your rice ahead of time, either in the morning or the day before, and keeping in the fridge. Once cooked, spread the drained rice out on a baking tray and allow to cool slightly before refrigerating. When you’re ready to cook, simply add it in with the other ingredients as per the recipe steps.

Try it with our: Very Green Ginger Fried Rice; Chicken, Pineapple and Snowpea Fried Rice