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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!  

Gardein Crispy Golden Chick’N Nuggets – average at best

July 4, 2021May 15, 2021 by Stuart Melling
Gardein Crispy Golden Chick'n Nuggets

Gardein are perhaps the quickest expanding line of plant-based products out there. It seems like there’s something new every other week. Canned soups, frozen meals, individual faux meat products. With …

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Categories Frozen, Grocery, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags Gardein Leave a comment

Turkey fried rice – perfect leftover dish

May 15, 2021 by Stuart Melling
Turkey fried rice

Just roasted a turkey? Stuck with leftovers? Don’t want to go down the well trod turkey pot pie or turkey sandwiches? Fried rice is your rescue! See our full guide …

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Categories 15 Minute Meals, Dinner Ideas Leave a comment

Homemade Indian thali

May 13, 2021 by Stuart Melling
Hearty French dip sandwich

Indian thalis are one of my favorite meals to spend a slow afternoon putting together. The cuisine demands time and patience to do right, but is massively rewarding. A thali …

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Categories Dinner Ideas, Indian Leave a comment

Sprouts Original Grillers Veggie Burgers review

May 16, 2021May 12, 2021 by Stuart Melling
Sprouts Original Grillers Veggie Burgers

Sprouts Market is usually a great call for meat free options. This in house veggie burger is more in the old-school format, you know the type; thin hockey puck based …

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Categories Frozen, Grocery, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags Sprouts 1 Comment

Big Mountain Super-Food Brekkie Links review

May 12, 2021 by Stuart Melling
Big Mountain Super-Food Brekkie Links

I spied these on a random roam of my local Whole Foods. I’d never come across the brand before. Four links come to one vacuum packed collection, inside the sausages …

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Categories Grocery, Refrigerated, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags Big Mountain 1 Comment

Gorton’s Natural Catch Fish Fillets

May 11, 2021 by Stuart Melling
Gorton's Natural Catch Fish Fillets

For as long as I live, I will forever be drawn to packaging like this. No matter how much I suspect the contents won’t live up to the beautiful exterior. …

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Categories Frozen, Grocery Tags Gorton's Leave a comment

Beyond Meatballs – a top quality plant-based option

July 4, 2021May 11, 2021 by Stuart Melling
Beyond Meatballs

Beyond Meat have been remarkably restrained in their product launches, at least when compared to the frenzy that it is other brands in the plant based space right now. The …

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Categories Frozen, Grocery, Refrigerated, Smart Buy, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags Beyond Meat Leave a comment

Wulf’s Fish – are they any good?

May 4, 2021May 3, 2021 by Stuart Melling

If you live in a landlocked state like I do, I’m betting you often look on at our coastal cousins with some envy. I’ll be honest, the state of seafood …

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Categories Frozen, Grocery Tags Wulf's Fish Leave a comment

Cilantro-lime lingcod

April 27, 2021 by Stuart Melling
Cilantro lime lingcod with rice and avocado

When a package of lingcod arrived on my doorstep from Sitka Salmon Shares, this was one of the first ideas that popped in my head. Lingcod is a lean white …

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Categories 30 Minute Meals, Dinner Ideas, Healthy Tags Sitka Salmon Shares, The Spice House Leave a comment

Royal Asia Vegetable Spring Rolls review

July 30, 2021April 27, 2021 by Stuart Melling
Royal Asia Vegetable Spring Rolls

We found these in the freezer aisle at Costco, drawn in by the mammoth box. Inside the cardboard packaging you’ll find a literal sack with fifty medium sized spring rolls. …

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Categories Frozen, Grocery, Vegetarian Tags Royal Asia 14 Comments
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  1. Joe on Review: Kroger Pork CarnitasMarch 10, 2024

    I'll never buy again! The package contained fully 12 (out of 16) ounces of pure pork fat. Totally unacceptable. Major…

  2. K B on Review: Van de Kamp’s Crispy Fish FilletsFebruary 28, 2024

    I complained to them and they sent me a measly $4 coupon to buy them again.’they won’t be in my…

  3. Melissa on Kroger Private Selection Angus Beef Burgers reviewFebruary 27, 2024

    I like them if you add water to the hamburger. When it's cooking it won't be so much grace

  4. Pamela D. on Tai Pei Chicken Egg Rolls reviewJanuary 18, 2024

    I had some for dinner last night . The first bite was so spicy, I had trouble getting back into…

  5. Robert Whitney on Simple Truth Natural Beef Burgers reviewJanuary 6, 2024

    YES!!! I both them a little bit ago and made them but they taste like they have permanent freezer burn…

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