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Costco worker reveals why baked goods are never sold hot, and the mold risk behind it
Costco shoppers who stock up on croissants, bagels and pastries may have wondered why baked goods from the brand are never sold hot out of the oven — and they may finally have an answer.
In a Reddit thread asking Costco employees what they wish customers would start or stop doing, one self-identified bakery worker revealed why certain baked goods are cooled before reaching shoppers.
“I work at the bakery,” the Reddit user wrote in the two-year-old thread, which was recently resurfaced by Tasting Table.
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“A super common one … is assuming everything put out is hot like the bread,” the Redditor wrote. “The bread is packed in breathable bags with holes in them, so it’s OK to be hot.”
The user then detailed why other baked goods are treated differently.
“You will never be given hot croissants, bagels, etc. Those are in enclosed boxes and the items must be cooled to below 80 degrees before being packed or it could introduce mold,” the person wrote.
“So many people feel up the boxes or ask if something is hot from the oven. … It will never be hot if it gets to you.”
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When hot food is sealed in enclosed packaging, trapped steam can create condensation — which can affect the texture, shorten shelf life and potentially cause mold to grow.
Fox News Digital reached out to Costco to confirm the claim.
The post struck a chord with shoppers long curious why Costco’s bakery items are sold at room temperature even though they are baked fresh in-store.
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Another self-identified employee echoed the broader point about finicky customer expectations in the bakery section, describing a common habit that they said can be frustrating.
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“Asking for bakery items [to be] packaged when the product is out on the floor,” the person said.
“Just take one off the table. Especially croissants. We bake them every day.”
The same commenter also addressed shoppers searching for fresher dates on bakery items.
“On a similar note, digging through bakery items looking for a fresher date,” the person added.
“For breads, in particular. There are only ever two dates out there for breads. The ones from the day before and the ones from that day.”
The first employee also pointed to another customer habit that can be frustrating in the baked goods department.
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“I guess the most instantly annoying thing is asking for samples of everything,” the person wrote.
Overall, the post drew hundreds of comments and “upvotes” from Costco fans and employees alike, hungry to dish on the Issaquah, Washington-based warehouse chain known for its popular bakery items, free samples and bustling food court.
A man killed a woman before taking his own life in a suspected murder-suicide at a $1 million home in Annandale, Virginia, a property owned by former lieutenant governor Justin Fairfax, according to reports early Thursday.
Officers with the Fairfax County Police Department were dispatched to the residence on Guinevere Drive shortly after midnight following a 911 call. The caller reported that he believed his father had stabbed his mother.
Property records reviewed by media outlets confirm that the home belongs to Fairfax, 47, and his wife, Cerina, 49. Authorities have not publicly identified the deceased, and a press conference was expected.
When officers arrived, they found a woman inside the home unconscious and bleeding. Authorities later determined she had been shot.
The couple’s son, whose age has not been disclosed, told officers he did not know where his father was.
Investigators later located the man elsewhere in the home with what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Both individuals were pronounced dead at the scene.
“It is high profile in nature, it’s tragic in nature. Certainly a fall from grace for a relatively high profile family that seemingly had had a lot of things going in their favor,” said Kevin Davis.
“So tragic for the children to lose both parents, extra tragic for them to actually be in the home when it occurred. So yeah, there’s a lot going on.”
Police said the couple had been married for 20 years but were separated and still living together during ongoing divorce proceedings. Court records show Cerina filed for divorce in July of last year.
“This has been an ongoing domestic dispute surrounding what seems to be a complicated or messy divorce,” Davis said.
“I don’t think it’s a secret that there’s been a divorce proceedings that have been ongoing. From what I understand in this early stage, former Lieutenant Governor Fairfax was recently served some paperwork associated with an upcoming court proceeding that apparently led to this incident last night.”
Fairfax, a Democrat, served as Virginia’s lieutenant governor from 2018 to 2022 and was once considered a rising political figure. In 2019, he faced allegations from two women accusing him of sexual assault in separate incidents dating back to the early 2000s. He denied the claims, calling them false and politically motivated. No criminal charges were filed, and he remained in office through the end of his term. He later ran unsuccessfully for governor in 2021.
According to prior reporting cited by the New York Post, police had responded to the home earlier this year after Fairfax accused his wife of assault. Investigators later concluded the claim was false after reviewing footage from cameras inside the residence. The reason for the installation of the cameras and the couple’s separation has not been publicly clarified.
After prosecutors said a subpoena will be issued later this month for Tiger Woods’ prescription drug records, his attorney is fighting against it.
Woods was arrested for driving under the influence after taking field sobriety tests following a two-vehicle crash in which his Range Rover turned onto its driver’s side.
A court filing showed that a subpoena will be issued to “seek copies of any and all prescription medication on file” for Woods from Jan. 1 through March 27, the date of his car crash and arrest.
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Woods’ attorney, Douglas Duncan, wrote in a motion that the subpoena goes against Woods’ constitutional rights to privacy.
“This right is admittedly not absolute should the State show the relevance of the records to its criminal investigation and thus warrant intrusion into Mr. Woods’ privacy,” Duncan wrote, via ESPN.
Duncan also requested a hearing to determine whether prosecutors should be allowed to obtain the records.
Woods told law enforcement prior to the field sobriety tests that he underwent seven back surgeries and “over 20 operations on his leg.” He told law enforcement that “I take a few” prescription medications. In 2021, he got into a wreck that resulted in serious leg injuries that kept him off the golf course for the entire year.
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He also mentioned that his ankle was fused and he walks with a limp due to the injuries. Due to the nature of his injuries, authorities made him do a field sobriety test sitting down. He blew “triple-zeroes,” authorities said, but “lethargic” movements warranted exercises anyway.
Woods participated in four exercises before a deputy placed him in handcuffs. The deputy stated she believed Woods was under an “unknown substance.”
It was the second time Woods was arrested for driving under the influence. He had been taken into custody in 2017.
It is believed that Woods is currently in Switzerland seeking treatment.
“I know and understand the seriousness of the situation I find myself in today. I am stepping away for a period of time to seek treatment and focus on my health. This is necessary in order for me to prioritize my well-being and work toward lasting recovery,” Woods said in a statement posted to social media on the Tuesday after the crash.
“I’m committed to taking the time needed to return in a healthier, stronger, and more focused place, both personally and professionally. I appreciate your understanding and support, and ask for privacy for my family, loved ones and myself at this time.”
Woods was granted permission on April 1 to travel out of the country “to enter into comprehensive impatient treatment.”
Woods was charged with driving under the influence, property damage, refusal to submit to testing, and careless driving. He pleaded not guilty and waived his arraignment, demanding a trial with a jury.
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A popular vegetarian restaurant chain is warning it could close amid financial uncertainty, as an expert points to shifting demand for meat and dairy.
Clover Food Lab, a Boston-area vegetarian fast-casual chain, recently filed a warning that it may close and lay off 182 workers if it’s unable to find a new buyer, according to local outlet WBZ-TV.
“Clover is expected to close on May 29, 2026, unless we secure a buyer for the company by that date,” the company’s filing said.
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Clover Food Lab told Fox News Digital it filed a WARN notice to comply with Massachusetts law in case a sale is not completed.
“We simply want to comply with all regulations in the case of a change of operations,” the company said in a statement.
“We are optimistic that Clover will continue to serve our locally sourced farm-to-table fast food in Clover’s next chapter.”
The chain began as a food truck at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2008. Eventually, it expanded to multiple locations across Massachusetts serving locally sourced, plant-based food.
The chain filed for bankruptcy in 2023, citing COVID-related financial troubles, before coming back in 2024 with an ambitious plan to expand across the region.
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The developments come as consumers appear to be moving away from the plant-based trends of the 2010s and focusing on high-protein foods, especially meat and dairy.
That shift is reflected in the broader marketplace, where demand for protein-rich foods and beverages continues to grow.
Market research firm IMARC Group recently found that the global dairy-based protein market was valued at about $15 billion in 2024 and projected to reach $22 billion by 2033.
The Trump administration’s 2025–2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans also eased earlier restrictions on red meat and full-fat dairy, allowing them as part of a balanced diet in moderation.
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Meat and dairy are regaining ground with consumers, said Adam Yee, a North Carolina-based food scientist and consultant who studies food trends and develops products.
Yee told Fox News Digital that U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistics show per capita meat consumption on the rise, and he cited “a lot of factors” behind the shift.
“One is that meat and dairy are perceived as cleaner products with more protein,” Yee noted.
Scrutiny over ultra-processed foods is another major factor, he said, as plant-based meat tends to be made with a long list of ingredients.
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Generally, consumers “would rather choose meat and dairy than the alternatives,” Yee added, citing both cost and the fact that meat is more satisfying.
“Meat and dairy just have an easier time communicating [their] value and delivering in taste than plant-based products,” he said.
He added, “Clover Food Lab is suffering from a general decline in restaurant sales, but the factors that are increasing meat and dairy sales, and decreasing plant-based sales, are definitely crushing them.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the Plant Based Foods Association for comment, but did not immediately receive a reply.
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