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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!  

Pure Farmland Plant Based Breakfast Patties review

August 27, 2020August 26, 2020 by Stuart Melling
Pure Farmland Plant Based Breakfast Sausage

The Pure Farmland line of products apparently launched in September of 2019 – as part of the push into plant based proteins from Smithfield – the famous pork producing giant. …

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Categories Grocery, Refrigerated, Vegan, Vegetarian 2 Comments

Sable fish with cous cous and chickpeas

August 19, 2020 by Stuart Melling
Sable fish with cous cous and chickpeas

I scored this sablefish courtesy of a Sitka Salmon Shares shipment. Try saying that three times with your mouth full of fish! I cooked the fish skin side down until …

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

Masseria Mirogallo Tomato And Sweet Peppers

September 23, 2020August 19, 2020 by Stuart Melling
Masseria Mirogallo Tomato And Sweet Peppers

Stuart MellingHi, 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 …

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Categories Grocery, Pantry, Sauce, Uncategorized Tags Masseria Mirogallo Leave a comment

Simple Truth Crinkle Cut Potato Fries

August 19, 2020 by Stuart Melling
Simple Truth Crinkle Cut Potato Fries

You could say we have a thing here for frozen French fries. In fact, we’ve gone so far as to rate as many as we can on this defacto list …

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Categories Frozen, Grocery, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags Kroger, Simple Truth Leave a comment

Linguine with tomato sauce and smoked sausage

August 16, 2020 by Stuart Melling
Sam's Choice Cajun Style Andouille Smoked Sausage in linguine

Three ingredients. That’s all you need here. Quality pasta, quality sauce and excellent sausage. Seriously, what are you waiting for? Stuart MellingHi, I’m Stuart, nice to meet you!  I’m the …

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Categories 30 Minute Meals, Comfort Food, Dinner Ideas, Italian Leave a comment

MorningStar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips

August 15, 2020 by Stuart Melling
MorningStar Farms Veggie Bacon Strips

This faux-bacon from MorningStar Farms is one of the products in their lineup that’s yet to make the leap to vegan friendly; as such, vegans should note there’s still egg …

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Categories Frozen, Grocery, Vegetarian Tags MorningStar Farms Leave a comment

Veggie loco moco

August 15, 2020 by Stuart Melling
Veggie loco moco

Ever had that single veggie burger linger in the fridge, seemingly holding on forever with no dish in site? That was the situation I’d been faced with for some time …

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Categories Dinner Ideas, Meat Free Tags House Foods Leave a comment

Burger and fries burrito

August 15, 2020 by Stuart Melling
Burger and fries burrito

If you’re rolling your eyes right now, I get it. That’s pretty much been the response from everyone I’ve shown these photos too. Still, I’m undeterred, I love this, and …

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Categories Burgers, Comfort Food, Dinner Ideas, Mash Up, Mexican Tags Ore-Ida, Simple Truth, Wild Coyote Leave a comment

Lay’s Taste Of America review

August 6, 2020 by Stuart Melling
Lay's Nashville Hot Chicken

If you’ve spent a couple of minutes in the chip aisle of late you’ll probably have seen Lay’s new Taste Of American line. Five new products, each celebrating a classic …

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Categories Grocery, Pantry, Snack Leave a comment

The Meatless Farm Co Burgers review

August 6, 2020 by Stuart Melling
The Meatless Farm Co Burgers

Blink these days and it’s more than likely you’ll miss yet another plant based burger launch. I’m not 100% sure when this particular offering from The Meatless Farm Co debuted, …

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Categories Frozen, Grocery, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags The Meatless Farm Co Leave a comment
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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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