Skip to content

Shop Smart

Reviews, recipes, news and dinner ideas

  • Home
  • Shop online
  • Shopping guides
  • Grocery finds
  • Dinner ideas
  • ✉️

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!  

Jack & Annie’s Savory Breakfast Sausage Patties reviewed

March 27, 2022 by Stuart Melling
Jack & Annie's Savory Breakfast Sausage Patties

It’s only been a few weeks since I was wowed by Jack & Annie’s sausages; the jackfruit based links had way more flavor than I usually expect with the said …

Read more

Categories Frozen, Grocery, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags Jack & Annie's 2 Comments

Avocado and radish toasts

March 27, 2022 by Stuart Melling
Wildgrain - avocado and radish toast

This one seemed like a no brainer. With a freezer full of ready to bake sourdough bread from Wildgrain – and quickly Spring like weather – something lighter and fresh …

Read more

Categories 15 Minute Meals, Dinner Ideas, Sandwiches Tags Wildgrain Leave a comment

Applegate Naturals Chicken Burgers review

March 27, 2022 by Stuart Melling
Applegate Naturals Chicken Burgers

Following on from my recent testing of the Applegate nuggets I thought it was time to run the rule over their chicken burger product too. Much like the nuggets the …

Read more

Categories Frozen, Grocery Tags Applegate Naturals Leave a comment

The Very Good Butchers Smoking Bangers review

March 27, 2022 by Stuart Melling
The Very Good Butchers Smokin Bangers

This is one of those products that almost sells itself from the packaging alone; sleek and trendy, emblazoned with a retro style logo. I snapped these up immediately after seeing …

Read more

Categories Grocery, Refrigerated, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags The Very Good Butchers 1 Comment

Johnsonville Flame Grilled Sweet & Spicy Sausage review

March 20, 2022 by Stuart Melling
Johnsonville Flame Grilled Sweet & Spicy Sausage

Cooking: None needed as such, these come precooked. As a heat and serve dish, they’re quite flexible in how you choose to bring them up to temp. I used the …

Read more

Categories Grocery, Refrigerated Tags Johnsonville Leave a comment

Impossible Chicken Nuggets – a must buy

March 19, 2022 by Stuart Melling
Impossible Chicken Nuggets

First hitting shelves in the Fall of 2021 – it’s taken me a little while to get my hands on these. For my money Impossible make the very best plant-based …

Read more

Categories Frozen, Grocery, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags Impossible Foods 1 Comment

Is the Wildgrain subscription box any good?

September 2, 2022March 12, 2022 by Stuart Melling
Contents of Wildgrain box

Bread, pasta, pastries, delivered to your door, ready to go in minutes? That’s the promise of the subscription box service from Wildgrain (use code GSLC10 for $10 off, we get …

Read more

Categories Grocery, Subscription Tags Wildgrain Leave a comment

Alexia Crispy Truffle Fries reviewed

March 12, 2022 by Stuart Melling
Alexia Crispy Truffle Fries

Cooking: The packaging reckons you should bake these fries, it provides no further instruction. Guess what? I air fried them, and it works much better – and faster too. Seven …

Read more

Categories Frozen, Grocery Tags Alexia 1 Comment

Chung’s Chicken Egg Rolls reviewed

March 12, 2022 by Stuart Melling
Chung's Chicken Egg Rolls

Cooking: Bake, deep fry or microwave. Only someone looking for mush would proceed with the latter. I actually reached for the air fryer and got good results. A deep fryer …

Read more

Categories Frozen, Grocery, Uncategorized Tags Chung's Leave a comment

Beyond Chicken Plant-Based Tenders

March 19, 2022March 12, 2022 by Stuart Melling
Beyond Chicken Plant-Based Tenders

The plant-based chicken space has been getting increasingly competitive of late. The last year has seen an explosion in the number of brands competing for your fake-chicken dollars. The latest …

Read more

Categories Frozen, Grocery, Vegan, Vegetarian Tags Beyond Meat Leave a comment
Older posts
Newer posts
← Previous Page1 … Page3 Page4 Page5 … Page53 Next →

Latest grocery store reviews

  • Boar's Head Chorizo Chicken SausageBoar’s Head Chorizo Chicken Sausage review
  • Impossible Bratwurst SausageImpossible Foods Bratwurst Sausage – the best money can buy
  • Yves Veggie PepperoniYves Veggie Pepperoni
  • Bachan's Japanese Barbecue SauceBachan’s Original Japanese Barbecue Sauce
  • Murray’s Muffuletta Olive SaladMurray’s Muffuletta Olive Salad

Random dinner ideas

  • Beef Chile with Black Beans and Indian SpicesBeef Chile with Black Beans and Indian Spices
  • Egg n' Chips with a Southwest twistEgg n’ Chips with a Southwest twist
  • Tempura shrimp with Japanese curryTempura shrimp with Japanese curry
  • Club SandwichClub Sandwich – don’t forget this classic
  • Vegetarian BBQ plate with Upton's Natural BBQ JackfruitMeat free BBQ jackfruit plate with Walmart hushpuppies
  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…

Other links

  • Work with us
  • Privacy and disclosure

Get social

  • Instagram
  • Facebook group
  • Email

Most Popular Topics

365 Alexia Alpha Alpha Foods Applegate Naturals Banquet Beyond Meat Birds Eye Deep Del Real Foods Field Roast Gardein Garden Inspirations Gorton's Great Value Hatch House Foods Impossible Burger Impossible Foods Incogmeato Indian Food Kroger Lamb Weston Lean Cuisine Lightlife Mae Ploy McCormick MorningStar Farms Ore-Ida Sam's Choice SeaPak Simple Truth Sitka Salmon Sitka Salmon Shares Sprouts Sukhi's SW Beans Sweet Earth Three Bridges Trader Joe's Tyson Upton's Naturals Walmart Whole Foods Wild Coyote

Recent Comments

  • Joe on Review: Kroger Pork Carnitas
  • K B on Review: Van de Kamp’s Crispy Fish Fillets
  • Melissa on Kroger Private Selection Angus Beef Burgers review
  • Pamela D. on Tai Pei Chicken Egg Rolls review
  • Robert Whitney on Simple Truth Natural Beef Burgers review
© 2025 Shop Smart • Built with GeneratePress