Top News

Plus more good news this week.

Key Points

• Costco Travel offers curated vacation packages and deals that can save members hundreds.
• CEO Ron Vachris says you should “never” rent a car anywhere else besides Costco.
• Plus more good news, like a new study revealing tomatoes’ benefits on liver health.

This is Good Food News, your weekly installment of positive food and health news from around the world. These feel-good stories are hand-picked by EatingWell editors to help make your week just a little bit brighter.

Featured Story: Costco CEO Ron Vachris Reveals the Benefit Members Could Be Overlooking

Last week, we spotlighted Ron Vachris, the 40+ year Costco employee who worked his way up from forklift operator to CEO. Besides recapping his legacy, I asked him the important questions about the wholesaler, like new products coming to warehouses soon and if there’s any membership perks that Costco members may not be using enough.

For the latter, Vachris had a clear answer, and our editors agree with his take. It’s not a specific item or food court find you’re missing out on. Instead, it has to do with booking your next vacation.

“Everybody knows Costco for the brick and mortar,” Vachris tells EatingWell. “But there’s some digital experiences that are out there that members may not be using as much as they can. We have a travel business, Costco Travel, that our buyers really work on developing all these vacation packages and cruise deals [for]. They’re fully curated by our buying team.”

It goes beyond finding the most affordable locations and flights, according to the boss. Costco’s buyers inspect every resort, hotel and facility recommended and placed in the company’s travel deals to ensure the best quality experience.

“We’re one of the largest travel companies going to Tahiti in the world,” Vachris reveals. “We send more people to Tahiti than any other company does.”

And while you can save hundreds of dollars on their luxury vacation packages, one of the biggest travel savings you can make through Costco is through their rental car program.

“You should never rent a car without going through Costco Travel,” the CEO emphasizes. “You would be shocked at the amount of savings that you get by using our rental cars through our travel program.” Our editorial director, Carolyn Malcoun, fully agrees and uses Costco’s rental car service, even booking a car through Costco for a recent international vacation.

So if you’re planning a vacation for the near future, consider going over to Costco’s travel website and reaping the full benefits of your membership. It’s an exclusive way to save money, and according to Vachris, the overwhelmingly positive member feedback on the travel perks means they’re not going anywhere anytime soon.

“It’s a really great service with great value,” he says.

More Good News This Week

New Study Shows a Link Between Tomatoes and Liver Health

A brand-new study published in Nutrients reveals that eating tomatoes daily may significantly reduce liver fat in people with metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD). This may be due to tomatoes’ impressive antioxidant content, specifically the presence of lycopene in the fruit. This is incredible news just in time for tomato season, so enjoy some tomato toast or a marinated tomato salad this afternoon to celebrate.

Meg Stalter Tells Us Her Broadway Routine

In a Zoom interview with EatingWellactor and current Oh, Mary! lead Meg Stalter shares how she keeps her body fueled during her Broadway run. Spoiler: it includes coffee, eggs, seasoned chicken and mushrooms, promising a satisfying, high-protein day.

Dementia Risk Can Be Lowered By These 3 Factors

According to a 26-year study published in Neurology Open Accessthere are three factors that you can address now to lower your risk of cognitive decline and dementia. Managing your blood pressure, managing your blood sugar and avoiding smoking are three things that can deter dementia for over a decade. Plus, simple daily habits like a nutrient-dense diet and regular exercise can go a long way.

Video of the Week

From shredded lettuce to bacon to peppers, it seems like all of our favorite foods are being recalled right now. Fortunately, these roasted veggie sides will mitigate the risk of foodborne illness, as they’re easier vegetables to clean and are cooked at a high temperature: