1. Stuff it
As corporate executive chef at Elior’s Aladdin Food Management, Eric Pearce develops menus for healthcare, B&I, higher education and K-12 accounts. To portion proteins in a more sustainable and cost-effective way, he rolls pork loin or chicken breasts around a stuffing. “A roulade gives the impression that you’re getting more meat per serving and more bang for your buck,” he says. For pork roulade, he rolls the boneless loin around a filling of shredded cabbage, pecans and carrots; a slice contains less meat but looks “fancy and high-end,” Pearce says. When it comes to chicken, he fills 3-ounce boneless breasts with a mixture of kale, feta, pecans and cranberries, then rolls them up the long way. “It looks like a large portion, and the kale doesn’t cook down as much as spinach would, giving a meatier appearance,” he notes.