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!

Review: Gardein Home Style Meatless Meatloaf

October 28, 2018October 16, 2018 by Stuart Melling

Every once in a while I’ll grab an item on a whim and it’ll end up in the back of the freezer or pantry; gathering ice crystals or dust, never …

Review: Lean Cuisine Marketplace Orange Chicken

October 14, 2018 by Stuart Melling

I was hesitant to try this one, I was certain I knew what was going to happen here. Sadly, I have to report I wasn’t wrong – this frozen meal’s …

Review: Lean Cuisine Marketplace Moroccan-Style Spiced Beef

October 14, 2018 by Stuart Melling

My initial reaction to this Lean Cuisine limited edition creation was, “home come this isn’t a regular option?”. To date this is probably my favorite Lean Cuisine ready meal that …

Review: Sam’s Choice Burrito Bowls Pork Carnitas

November 14, 2018October 12, 2018 by Stuart Melling

After enjoying the Sam’s Choice Barbacoa bowl so much, this variant with carnitas was the next natural choice. Much like the carnitas version, this microwaveable meal comes with a small …

Review: Jimmy Dean Southern Style Chicken Biscuit

June 10, 2020September 29, 2018 by Stuart Melling

The packaging for these chicken biscuits verges on the almost silly; the big, bossy box almost suggests, “go ahead pick me up, I’m bursting with great flavor”. There’s no doubt …

Review: Field Roast Smoked Tomato Deli Slices

October 14, 2018September 26, 2018 by Stuart Melling

Hands up, I confess, I had worries about this one. I’ve had such wonderful success with Field Roast products I’ve been waiting to come across the product that breaks my …

Review: Gardein Skillet Meals Asian Style Chick’n Fried Rice

April 13, 2019September 25, 2018 by Stuart Melling

I was caught completely unawares by this product. As far as I knew, Gardein was solely in the business of making standalone meat substitutes: burgers, breakfast sausage, faux chicken and …

Review: Hoosier Hill Farm Gourmet Original White Popcorn

October 20, 2019September 24, 2018 by Stuart Melling

If you’re craving a healthy snack, you can do worse than fresh, home cooked popcorn. Forget reaching for the pre-popped stuff on the shelves of your local grocery store – …

Review: MorningStar Farms Meat Lovers Vegan Burgers

September 21, 2019September 22, 2018 by Stuart Melling

I have to imagine this product release has been highly anticipated by many. MorningStar Farms make some of the best meat free products on the market. That said, there’s a …

Gyro – what you need to know

February 10, 2020September 22, 2018 by Stuart Melling

A restaurant bought Gyro with meat sauce and French fries

Gyro, Hero, Jyro, Say What Now? First things first, you might want to know how to pronounce Gyro properly. The correct pronunciation is “yee-roh”, not hero or jyro. I’ve had …