Two HelloFresh meal kits have been recalled by the US Department of Agriculture due to potential contamination by the bacteria Listeria monocytogenes. HelloFresh is working alongside the USDA to contact customers who purchased the affected products, specifically the Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta and Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey ready-made meals.

The contaminated ingredient in the two affected meal kits is spinach, which may contain Listeria monocytogenes. HelloFresh sources its spinach from FreshRealm, a California-based supplier that identified Listeria in its product and notified the Food Safety and Inspection Service. 

«We have directly contacted customers who may have received the Cheesy Pulled Pork Pepper Pasta or Unstuffed Peppers with Ground Turkey between September 6 and October 9, 2025, and advised them to immediately discard any affected product,» a statement by the company reads.

HelloFresh is reimbursing customers.

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The USDA is similarly urging people who may have the affected meal kits in their refrigerators to discard them or return them to the place where they were purchased.

The potentially contaminated spinach is included in other ready-made pasta products stocked by Albertson’s, Trader Joe’s and Walmart. The listeria outbreak is continually expanding, and the USDA warned that the recall will likely grow as more affected products are identified.

No illnesses have thus far been linked to the affected HelloFresh meal kits, but pasta meals produced with FreshRealm spinach have been linked to at least four Listeria-related deaths and 20 illnesses.

The meal kit industry is booming, and more than one in five Americans have ordered pre-portioned recipe ingredients or ready-made meals in the past year. HelloFresh is a meal kit and ready-made meal juggernaut: That means more people than ever before will have to reckon with the fact that pre-packaged ingredients may be sourced from suppliers undergoing a product recall.

I already ate one of the affected meal kits. What should I do?

If you have consumed one of the affected meal kits, be aware of the symptoms of listeriosis, a disease caused by Listeria. According to the USDA bulletin, common symptoms include fever, muscle aches, headache, stiff neck, confusion, balance loss, convulsions and other gastrointestinal issues.

Listeriosis is especially dangerous for pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals. In extreme cases, the infection can cause miscarriages, stillbirths and death.

If you develop flu-like symptoms within two months of eating an affected HelloFresh meal kit, you should seek medical care and explain the contaminated food intake to your health care provider. Listeria infections require treatment with prescription antibiotics.

Apple Arcade continues to expand its sports games roster with the addition of Football Manager 26 Touch on Nov. 4. This comes after Apple added NBA 2K26 Arcade Edition and Retro Bowl ’26 to Arcade in October and September, respectively. That means American football, basketball and football — or soccer — are represented on Apple’s gaming service.

Apple Arcade is filled with familiar and classic games, alongside exclusive titles, that you can play for $7 per month (£7, AU$10). Many of these games can be found in the App Store, but they may have paywalls and ads that hinder your gaming experience.

An Apple Arcade subscription provides access to games without paywalls and ads, a feature typically denoted by «Plus» in the name. Here are all the games you can play on the service starting in November. You can also check out the games Apple added to Arcade in October, like Retro Bowl ’26.

Football Manager 26 Touch

Release date: Nov. 4
Developer: Sports Interactive

The Football Manager franchise is about giving you the chance to live as a manager of a football club, and according to Apple, the latest installment delivers more authenticity than ever before. This entry features upgraded graphics, official Premier League licenses and women’s football for the first time in the series’ history.

«We think the reimagined user interface will really enhance the experience across Apple devices,» Miles Jacobson, Sports Interactive’s studio director, told Apple. «In addition, the arrival of the Premier League fully licensed and the introduction of women’s football will further deepen exploration for Arcade players.»

MySims and MySims Kingdom

Release date: Nov. 6
Developer: EA

These spinoffs of the iconic The Sims franchise are a great way to experience a cartoony take on the popular series.

In MySims, you move to a small town that has been struggling, and with a little help from the locals, you’ll transform it into a bustling community. You’ll build homes and businesses, uncover decorations and help characters find what they need to make the town special.

And in MySims Kingdom, you’ll set off on an adventure to help King Roland and his subjects revitalize the kingdom. You can build contraptions, discover new lands and customize the kingdom to your liking. 

Toca Boca Jr. Classics

Release date: Nov. 6
Developer: Toca Boca and Sago Mini

This collection is packed with nine games that you and your children will love. You can help your animal friends feel better in the game Pet Doctor, or become a stylist in Hair Salon. Or you can create your own community in Blocks. There are plenty of opportunities for creativity and fun in these games.

You can start playing these games in November, and you can access plenty of others now in Apple Arcade for $7 a month or $50 annually. You can also try Apple Arcade free for one month with your first sign-up, or you can get a three-month free trial when you buy an Apple device. To access Apple Arcade, open the App Store on your iOS or iPadOS device and tap the joystick in the menu bar.

You don’t have to be shopping 24/7 during Prime Day to get the most out of your Amazon Prime subscription. Free two-day shipping is great (and free returns can be just as good), but what about all the other benefits? For instance, did you know that Prime members can save money on gas and get free same-day delivery for perishable groceries?

From grocery deals to streaming extras, there’s a lot more value packed into your Prime membership than most people realize, and a lot of those discounts can be used beyond Amazon.

Sure a 30-day free trial lets you take advantage of limited-time deals, but it only lets you scratch the surface of all that a membership has to offer. It might surprise you to learn what else you can get by being a Prime member. Below, we’re going to break down some of the best perks you may not know about.

Spoiler: Some of them are bangers.

For more, don’t miss out on the best October Prime Day deals and how to get great savings on Amazon right now with coupons.

1. Watch HBO or other premium TV channels without cable

You probably know about Prime Video and Amazon Music Prime but you might not know all the special details. Amazon Prime members have access to a large number of feature-length movies and hit original TV shows like The Boys and The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, as well as an Amazon Music Prime library featuring 2 million songs and thousands of curated playlists. 

Prime members can also download movies and TV shows for watching later offline.

If a show or movie you want to watch is not included as part of your basic Prime subscription, you can subscribe to premium channels such as HBO, Showtime and Starz for $5 to $15 a month, with no need for cable or satellite service.

Music lovers can upgrade to Amazon Music Unlimited to get a library of 90 million songs that can be streamed to multiple devices for $9 a month or $89 a year.

2. Get money back by choosing no-rush shipping

If you don’t need your purchase to be delivered quickly, you can opt out of two-day or shorter delivery options by selecting «no-rush shipping» and receive your package in about six days. In return for your patience, Amazon will give you rewards.

There’s no standard for no-rush shipping rewards — they vary from item to item — but they generally provide discounts on products and services that you might buy from Amazon.

Some common rewards are $1 credits for Amazon digital services like movies, music and ebooks, $3 coupons for Amazon’s Happy Belly-branded snacks, $10 to $20 off TV or furniture purchases and $10 to $20 off Amazon Home Services.

The value of no-rush shipping will depend on whether you’ll use any of the rewards. It might not seem like much, but a few no-rush shipping selections could easily earn you the $3 to $4 you need for a free movie rental from Prime Video.

3. Whole Foods grocery discounts

If you’re a frequent shopper at Whole Foods, an Amazon Prime membership can reap serious dividends. Prime Member Deals available in physical Whole Foods stores give members discounts of 10% to 20% on selected items marked with blue Amazon stickers. 

Yellow tags indicate even further savings, usually at least another 10% off an already discounted price. Prime members who scan the Whole Foods Market or Amazon app at checkout get an extra 10% off storewide sales. Prime membership also gives you access to special online deals.

4. Exclusive access to Thursday night NFL football games

It’s the second year that Amazon Prime has had exclusive rights to air Thursday Night Football, and Prime seems to be killing the game. It received five Sports Emmys nominations for its 2022 coverage and boasts a stacked cast of experts, commentators and former players. 

If you are a Prime subscriber, you can stream 2023-2024 Thursday Night Football games on Prime Video, NFL +, Amazon.com or Twitch. There is also a Spanish-language broadcast available on Prime Video. TNF pregame coverage begins at 7 p.m. EST each Thursday.  

5. Free same-day Amazon Fresh delivery

Whole Foods isn’t the only grocery option available to Amazon Prime members. Subscribers also have access to the online grocery store Amazon Fresh, which provides free deliveries to some locations. Amazon Fresh has some similar products to Whole Foods but generally focuses on a broader range of groceries and home products at lower prices. 

Anyone can purchase products from Amazon Fresh but only Prime members get free same-day delivery. Amazon Fresh also has 44 physical locations that offer special weekly deals for Prime members.

6. Free same-day delivery for perishable groceries

Similar to Amazon Fresh, a new service gives Amazon users access to perishable groceries with same-day delivery service. More than 1,000 cities and towns in the US can now get groceries delivered within hours and Amazon plans to expand the service to more than 2,300 locations by the end of 2025.

Same-day delivery is available to all Amazon customers for $12.99 but it’s free for Prime members who order at least $25 worth of groceries (it costs $2.99 if your order is less than $25). If you’re running low on milk and eggs and you don’t have time to make a trip to the grocery store, this is a great way to stock up without leaving the house.

7. Borrow unlimited books, magazines and comics

Amazon Prime members gain access to Prime Reading, a service similar to Kindle Unlimited with a different collection of materials. You can borrow as many books as you like, and many include audible narration, so you can switch back and forth between reading and listening. The electronic downloads don’t require a Kindle or Fire device.

Amazon First Reads gives Prime members access to editors’ selections of early book releases. Anyone with a Prime membership gets one free Kindle book a month, as well as regular discounts on selected titles.

8. Prime-exclusive deals and promos

Amazon offers Prime-exclusive deals all-year round on top products meaning you can make back the cost of your membership in savings. For big shopping seasons like Black Friday or Prime Day, there are even more member-only prices to shop. 

Plus, Prime subscribers often get early access to Lightning Deals. These are sort of like Amazon’s version of a fire sale, featuring very low prices for a limited number of products that usually sell out very quickly. The good news for Amazon Prime members is that they get access to these deals earlier than everyone else. The bad news? There are a lot of Amazon Prime members.

9. Exclusive Zappos deals, faster shipping and a test month for running shoes

Amazon acquired the online shoe giant Zappos in 2009, and it now provides a number of benefits for Prime members who link their accounts on Zappos.com. Prime members get faster shipping, bonus reward points for shopping and exclusive deals on certain products. 

Zappos also lets Prime members participate in Runlimited, a 30-day guarantee program for running shoes.

10. Save money on prescription drugs online

Prime members have exclusive access to Amazon RxPass. The subscription service provides all of your eligible medications for a single payment of $5 a month, regardless of how many prescriptions you have. More than 50 commonly prescribed medications are available. 

Amazon says that the average member with an RxPass saves 38% on medications but it’s important to note that Amazon’s Prime Rx savings program does not work with health insurance. You’ll need to be sure that any savings you get from the program are more than you’d get from insurance coverage.

11. One Medical membership discounts

One Medical is a membership-based health service that provides primary in-person and virtual health care. Its concierge-like medical service is designed to allow members to easily schedule appointments and care using the company’s mobile app or website.

Amazon acquired One Medical in 2023 and is now offering a major discount for Prime members. Instead of the usual price of $199 a year, Amazon Prime members can subscribe for $99 a year, or $9 per month. To activate the discount, Prime members should visit this page. Existing One Medical subscribers who are Prime members can also take advantage of the discount starting with their next payment.

12. Access to Prime Gaming 

Prime Gaming is a fun feature that is included with Amazon Prime and Prime Video. Eligible subscribers are able to download content in-game for their favorite games, free games and even a free monthly Twitch channel subscription.  

Prime Gaming is included with annual and monthly Prime subscriptions, Prime Student subscriptions, Amazon Prime free trials, and Prime Video memberships. It’s important to note that only one member per household may claim an offer and if you have a Prime Video monthly free trial you will be unable to claim a free Twitch subscription. If you are using a free trial of Student Prime, your free Twitch membership will expire when your free trial expires. 

13. Unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos

With a subscription to Amazon Prime, you can store unlimited photos and 5GB of video on Amazon Photos. Without Amazon Prime, you’re limited to a total of 5GB of videos and photos total. 

You can view or share your photos and videos on Amazon Photos using the iOS or Android app, or on a computer with the desktop or web app. Your photo and video files are fully encrypted, so they’re only visible to people with whom you intentionally share them.

14. Get discounts on Shutterfly

Amazon has partnered with photography company Shutterfly to offer Prime members 45% off most regular-priced products. Shoppers also can get free shipping on orders of $35 or more. To get the discount, you’ll have to link your Shutterfly and Amazon accounts.

If you store your photos with Amazon, you can now access your Amazon Photos directly from Shutterfly. This makes it extra convenient for Prime members to share images from their extensive photo library.

15. Get a free Grubhub Plus membership 

Don’t feel like cooking tonight? There’s a perk for that, too. 

When Amazon announced it would offer Grubhub Plus free for a year in 2022, it was a solid, but temporary, perk added to Prime. In 2023, Prime members were treated to another free year. For 2024, instead of renewing the food delivery service’s premium membership again for another year, Grubhub Plus became a permanent Amazon Prime perk. 

Grubhub Plus typically costs $9.99 a month and provides unlimited free delivery for all orders over $12 in more than 4,000 cities nationwide. 

16. Save on Amazon Kids Plus 

If you have Amazon Prime, you also get access to discounted Amazon Kids Plus. The subscription service features a range of ad-free content, including books, games and videos for children ages 3 to 12. Parents can limit the amount of screen time available to their children and manage up to four profiles on iOS and Android. 

The Amazon Kids Plus subscription is normally $79 a year but Prime members can get it for $48 a year.

17. Get your package on the day you want it with Amazon Day

If none of the usual delivery dates work for you, you have one additional option as a Prime member. Amazon Day is a free perk that lets you schedule your packages to arrive on your day of choice. Next time you’re on vacation, you don’t have to arrange for the neighbors to help you bring in your boxes, and you won’t have to worry about porch pirates stealing your delivery on days when you’re not home.

Amazon Day is also a great option to cut down on the number of boxes for your packages, as you can schedule multiple purchases to arrive as a single delivery.

18. Save money on gas

Do you spend several hours each week driving to and from work? If you’re an Amazon Prime member living in the US, your dollar will now stretch a little farther at the gas pump. You can save 10 cents per gallon at BP, Amoco and AM/PM gas stations — there are about 7,000 locations across the 50 states. Amazon estimates that this perk will save the average American nearly $70 per year.

To get the full 10-cent-per-gallon discount, Prime members must create a free earnify™ account and link it to their Prime account. You can use the earnify™ app to find stations, then simply go to the pump and enter your phone number or linked payment method for instant savings. (Using the earnify™ app is optional — it just needs to be linked to your Prime account.)

For more about Amazon Prime and what to expect from this year’s back-to-school deals. Plus, check out these Amazon deals on tech and home goods and tips for getting the best Amazon deals.