Stuart Melling

Hi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you! I’m the founder, writer and wrangler at Gastronomic SLC - Utah's biggest and oldest online food magazine; I’m also a former restaurant critic of more than five years, working for the Salt Lake Tribune. I’ve worked extensively with multiple local publications from Visit Salt Lake to Salt Lake Magazine, not least helped to consult on national TV shows. I’m a multiple-award winning journalist and have covered the Utah dining scene for the better part of fifteen years. I’m largely fueled by a critical obsession with rice, alliteration and the use of big words I don’t understand. I started Shop Smart to catalogue my adventures in the grocery store and kitchen. Follow along on Instagram too!

Impossible Sausage is here – what you need to know

April 24, 2022August 18, 2021 by Stuart Melling

Long time readers will know I am a huge fan of the Impossible Burger – for my money it stands head and shoulders above any other plant-based burger. You’ll forgive …

Johnsonville Sausage Strips review

October 2, 2021August 8, 2021 by Stuart Melling

It’s not that often a press release comes across my desk and makes me sit up, eyes wide open. But that’s exactly what this one did. Johnsonville, traditional masters of …

Vietnamese-style vegan meatball salad

July 28, 2021 by Stuart Melling

Plant-based Vietnamese salad with Impossible meatballs

This vibrant salad appears on our dinner table at least two or three times a month in the Summertime. It’s bright, refreshing, packed with flavor – and relatively healthy. To …

Schweid And Sons Butcher’s Blend review

July 27, 2021 by Stuart Melling

Time and again I find myself drawn in by smart product packaging – just like this. I mean check out that fancy typography, the chic cardboard shell, the suggestion that …

Simple Truth Homestyle Chicken Tenders

July 27, 2021 by Stuart Melling

Another product from Kroger’s Simple Truth product line up, one that promises minimal preservatives and the like. These come in a large freezer bag, that thankfully unlike so many others, …

Boomerang’s Beefy Potato review

July 27, 2021 by Stuart Melling

Boomerang’s are apparently an Aussie-inspired pot pie, that seem to have a boutique approach. Compared to the bigger names like Marie Callendars, the pies are smaller at a higher price. …

Sweet Earth Chorizo-Style Sausage review

July 27, 2021 by Stuart Melling

I’ll admit that the Sweet Earth label isn’t my favorite when it comes to meat free options. I’ve encountered more misses than hits through the years. The latest to catch …

Trader Joe’s Taiwanese Green Onion Pancakes review

July 30, 2021July 25, 2021 by Stuart Melling

I had zero idea what to expect from these pancakes, but like most people who shop at Trader Joe’s, we love to experiment when we see something new. Five frozen …

Young’s Beer Battered Cod Fillets review

July 25, 2021 by Stuart Melling

As a British ex-pat, I take my battered and fried fish seriously (who doesn’t love fish and chips!). Sadly, no matter how many frozen fish products I’ve sampled, very few …

Ore-Ida Golden Waffle Fries

July 25, 2021 by Stuart Melling

Over the past year, I’ve been slowly working my way through every frozen French fry bag ; my wife, shaking her head in disbelief will confirm this. Why? Well, I’ve …