Some FL Winn Dixie Stores Are Being Converted To Aldi. Here's What To Expect When Shopping There

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By now, it's no secret that some of Florida's Winn Dixie stores are being converted to Aldi stores due to Aldi's purchase of 400 Winn Dixie and Harvey's stores. I've written about Winn Dixie stores in Panama City, Panama City Beach, Lakeland, and Tampa that are converting, as well as a Jacksonville Harvey's that is also converting.

Some readers of these articles comment that they will not shop at Aldi because they still feel loyal to (and prefer) Winn Dixie. Others, however, are open to trying something new - especially if it saves some money.

Below, I'll discuss some things that new Aldi shoppers may want to know before trying the store for the first time. From the comments on some articles I've written about Aldi, I've found people sometimes have notions about the chain that aren't completely accurate, at least in my experience. Note that this article is based on my own experiences shopping at various Florida Aldi, Winn Dixie, Publix, Whole Foods, and Trader Joe's stores.

You Do Have To Spend A Quarter For A Cart, But You Get It Back: One of the most common comments in my Aldi articles is that the poster doesn't want to spend a quarter to use a cart, which should be free. While it is true that you will need to put a quarter in an Aldi cart to use it, you get that quarter back when you replace the cart line at the end of your shopping trip. So you're not actually spending a quarter. Note that if you forget your quarter, employees can give you one if you ask, according to Lifehacker.

You Don't Necessarily Have to Bring Your Own Bags To Aldi: Admittedly, you are encouraged to bring your own bags. Aldi does not offer plastic bags, it charges twelve cents for paper bags, and Aldi's reusable bags are around $1.99. If you bring your own bags, you obviously don't have to pay for bags, but if you forget and leave them at home, you still have options to pay for them in the store.

Aldi Does Have Bakery, Produce, Deli, and Meat Options: Another common comment I get on my Aldi articles is that Aldi doesn't have departments for bakery, produce, deli, and meat. This is true. It doesn't - if you are comparing it to the standalone departments that you see at traditional stores like Winn Dixie and Publix. However, that doesn't mean that it doesn't sell items that come out of those departments.

For example, you can get plenty of produce, bakery, meat, and deli items at Aldi. But you won't get it from in-house departments. And the selection is not as extensive as what you would find at other stores. But you can certainly get basic cuts of meat, cold cuts, fruits and vegetables, and breads, cookies, cakes, etc.

Aldi Does Sell A Limited Amount Of Name Brands: Many readers comment that Aldi isn't desirable because it doesn't sell name brands. While Aldi leans heavily on its in-house brands, if you go to the middle aisle in Aldi (sometimes called the aisle of shame) you will find some brand-name items. Your mileage may vary, but I have had good experiences with Aldi's house brand.

You Can't Always Find What You Need At Aldi: Aldi is admittedly more limited than larger stores. However, in my own experience, I'm often able to get the basics that I need to get me through some basic meals and household needs.

Sometimes, specialty items come and go. For example, while you can always find fan favorites like Aldi store-branded cereal, the chain used to have chocolate-covered pretzels that I bought (and enjoyed) for months. And then one day they were gone - seemingly never to return.

Of course, everyone's experience is different and everyone has different preferences. I am not affiliated with Aldi or any other grocers and I shop at a variety of Florida grocery stores depending on my needs and location at the time.