13 Food Items To Try Your First Time At Winn-Dixie

If your understanding of the Winn-Dixie grocery store chain is only defined by the 2005 girl-meets-dog film "Because of Winn-Dixie," you probably picture a humble market that caters to small towns in the rural south, much like the Piggly Wiggly's of old. While that's not a complete departure from the modern iteration of Winn-Dixie, there's been plenty of changes that have defined a new era for the food brand.

Currently headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, the Winn-Dixie Company was acquired by Aldi in 2024, then quickly offloaded in 2025 to private investors. After this turbulent shake-up, the new leadership wanted to focus on revitalizing the Winn-Dixie store reputation, looking to tap into its intimate mom-and-pop feel while bringing it firmly into the future. A recent partnership with Amazon in Florida has allowed the company to supercharge a home-delivery system, allowing shoppers to get their Winn-Dixie groceries delivered straight to their door through the Amazon site.

Even with all this modernization, there are some things that continue to make the store an excellent place to experience Southern cuisine in all its glory. So, if you're headed to Winn-Dixie for the first time or looking to try out its new Amazon-supported delivery service, make sure to start off on the right foot and grab one of these stand-out products.

Originally introduced in 1965 with four classic flavors (club soda, cola, root beer, and ginger ale), Chek has long been a staple soda in the South. Unlike bigger name brands like Pepsi and Coca-Cola, Chek could afford to be a discounted soda without sacrificing the taste. In fact, plenty of people have noted that they find the flavor of some of the sodas to eclipse the big brand formula. Some people even prefer the less cloying and nuanced flavor of Dr. Chek to the more famed Dr. Pepper.

On Reddit, a whole slew of customers recall drinking fruity options like Peach, Green Apple, Black Cherry, and Strawberry Chek in their youth, often snagging cases whenever they revisit home to enjoy a tasty hit of nostalgia. As one person noted, "Strawberry Chek, Old Fashioned Draft Root Beer in the back of the boat holding a fishing rod... best memories of my childhood."

And while the whole Chek soda line is well loved, the diet line has a particularly strong cult following. When Aldi first acquired Winn-Dixie in 2024 and began transitioning a number of stores over to its own brand in Florida (the state with the most Aldi locations), many fans were primarily worried about their loss of diet Chek soda. Luckily for consumers everywhere, the Chek brand maintains its large presence in the Winn-Dixie soda aisle.

In the South — and particularly in Florida — the best grocery store bakery is often accredited to Publix. But if you give the Winn-Dixie bakery a chance, you may find that it more than stacks up to that state favorite. In the bakery section, you can find the usual suspects of cookie flavors, but the in-house Gourmet Cookie line is the best of the bunch.

Three particular stand-outs include the Cranberry Walnut Cookies, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies, and the Chocolate Chip Cookies. Giant, perfectly golden, and chock-full of chocolate and/or nuts, these beat almost every other grocery store bakery cookie out there. As one reviewer on TikTok put it, "These are a 10 out of 10 for real." The Winn-Dixie Chocolate Chip Cookie even has blogger dupe recipes out there, which we find a true testament to fans' obsession with a baked good. Some seasonal flavors, like white chocolate pumpkin, are also worth snagging if you happen to be in the store when they come out.

No Winn-Dixie list is complete without a shout out to the store's Lip Lickin' Chicken brand. The fried chicken in particular is some of the best grocery store fried chicken you can find, as Winn-Dixie definitely has a reputation for knowing how to execute rich Southern fare. Consumers online noted that the brand's commitment to fresh, never frozen chicken and consistent quality set it apart from other sub par grocery deli chicken (looking at you and your dubious heat lamps, Walmart).

In addition calling out the chicken's juicy texture and solid crunch, one YouTube reviewer showered praise on Winn-Dixie for offering some of the best prices for fried chicken when compared to other store chain varieties. Even reviewers who had a soft spot for Publix fried chicken had to admit that Winn-Dixie offered the better deal while also packing a solid flavor. And while the store's rotisserie chicken size and flavor can't necessarily compete with a heavy hitter like Costco, its still good enough to make it worth a purchase for the cost-conscious shopper.

Most grocery store brand ice creams are nothing to write home about, but Winn-Dixie's Prestige brand has some truly adventurous flavors that warrant a second look. A premium ice cream that boasts about using no artificial colors or flavors, the Prestige line has had a number of hit flavors that have become instant favorites with Winn-Dixie shoppers, including Iced Sugar Cookie, Coconut Almond Fudge, and, for those looking for a seasonal stand-out, the Peppermint Forest.

In fact, several flavors have taken home first place awards at the World Dairy Expo Championship Dairy Product Contest in Wisconsin: Coconut Almond Fudge in 2015, French Vanilla in 2016, and Raspberry Cone Crunch in 2017. And if you enjoy the regular ice cream, you may want to give the Prestige frozen yogurt flavors a try, as well. The Key Lime Pie variety has a devoted fan following on Reddit, with one reviewer stating, "This Prestige SE Grocers Real Premium Frozen Yogurt Key Lime Pie flavor from Winn-Dixie is the best tasting thing I've ever had in my entire life!"

Some days, you can't be bothered to bake or defrost pre-made biscuit dough. For those lazy times, Winn-Dixie has one of the better options for jumbo, flaky Southern-style biscuits that are ready-to-eat. The typical six-count package offers biscuits that are roughly the size of softball, with a buttery flavor and tender texture that lends itself particularly well to homemade breakfast sandwiches and red-eye gravy.

Speaking of breakfast sandwiches, the Winn-Dixie bakery croissants are also worth a try according to one Reddit user, "Got croissants BOGO last weekend and made breakfast Sammy's for the family — amazing." If you still can't bear to buy store-bought baked goods, you'll be comforted to know that you can find a bag of White Lily Flour, the best flour to make Southern biscuits with, in the baking aisle. It's one of those Southern brands, alongside Conecuh sausage and Milo's Sweet Tea, that can always be reliably found at Winn-Dixie.

In the South, it used to be difficult to get your hands on alcohol in a grocery store thanks to the bygone days of dry county laws (sometimes known as blue laws). Heck, even Florida Publix stores have a separate liquor store from the main grocery market. Luckily for Southern consumers, times are changing. Many grocery chains have adventured into the brewery and winery business, with Winn-Dixie being no exception.

The grocery magnate has its own award-winning private wine label with SunBay Cellars. Most of the wines that came from Chile, like the Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Cabernet Sauvignon, all took home silver in 2024 at the USA Wine Ratings. Meanwhile, the SunBay Cellars Bubbles Sparkling Wine from Spain won gold and Best in Show at the 2024 USA Wine, Beer and Spirits Ratings by the Beverage Trade Network. As far as affordable and tasty wine goes, SunBar Cellars gives Trader Joe's two-buck chuck a run for its money.

We've already called out a couple items from the Winn-Dixie bakery, but perhaps no other baked good gets more praise or accolades than the pies. The grocery store has long had a good reputation for pies, earning numerous blue ribbons at various pie championships since 2019 for the Cherry Pie, Apple Pie with Caramel Drizzle, Pumpkin Pie, and No Sugar Added Pecan Pie. And the wins keep rolling in.

In April 2026, the Southern grocer took home another three first-place prizes at the American Pie Council National Pie Championship, one each for the Apple Pie with Caramel Drizzle, a Caramel Chocolate Pecan Pie, and the Lattice Apple Pie (available seasonally around Thanksgiving). Of the three, the caramel-punctuated apple pie is the most awarded, having snagged six first-place prizes since 2017. While cakes and cookies often get the limelight from bakeries, Winn-Dixie's pies can make a case for this underrated pastry getting more love.

The Winn-Dixie meat section is legendary for having good deals and good quality. Highlights from the meat section include most steaks and beef marked "Angus" and the ribeye burger patties. Even a diehard Publix fan on Trip Advisor admitted that Winn-Dixie often brings the better meat deals. Buyers beware: other reviewers note to avoid discount beef sold in white styrofoam containers, as that often denotes subpar meat that'll be extremely tough. But despite that setback, this section is still worth a stop. In addition to good quality beef, you can find classic Southern "odds-and-ends" meat cuts like fresh chicken necks, livers, and gizzards, as well.

One incredible feature that doesn't get nearly enough play is that the butcher counter will cut, trim, season, and marinate your meat for you. You can even ask them to do custom ground meat blends, which could change the game for your next batch of meatballs, meatloaf, or homemade sausages. Overall, the meat section and butcher's counter at Winn-Dixie brings some pretty serious deals and service to the table.

Calling all gluten-free bakers: The Know & Love brand at Winn-Dixie offers one of the biggest flavor options for gluten-free baking mixes. From chocolate chip cookies to vanilla cake and fudge brownies, these box mixes should save you from having to combine and mix multiple different alternative flours for easier gluten-free baking. Beyond box mixes, there's also a Gluten Free All-Purpose Flour blend available if you want to have even more flexibility with your allergy-sensitive baking endeavors.

Why try the Know & Love brand? Launched in 2023, this was Winn-Dixie's attempt at bringing clean eating options into the value grocery market. The brand abstains from using many artificial ingredients, including color additives, high-fructose corn syrup, aspartame, and partially hydrogenated oils. Add to this a certified gluten free and non-GMO label, and you have a quality product that can solve tricky baking problems on a budget.

Like most other grocery stores, the seafood counter at Winn-Dixie will offer a moderate selection of fish, shellfish, and mollusks for the casual shopper. Admittedly, variety is not the reason you should check out the seafood. Instead, consider the good deals Winn-Dixie can offer for some of the most expensive seafood to buy: crab legs. Steady customers have long called out Winn-Dixie's exceptional deals on quality king crab legs and snow crab legs. Of course, good prices can be dependent on seasonal and market conditions, so it might be something you need to keep an eye on rather than expecting it every time.

Even if a deal can't be had, the seafood counter has another thing going for it. Much like the meat counter, the seafood station also offers a major food prep perk for those looking to cut down on at-home cooking. Once you select your seafood, you can hand it to over to the cooks in back and they'll give it a gourmet seafood boil treatment, using a specific spice blend of your choosing. One fan in Miami even claims that a Winn-Dixie made seafood boil can stand up to any that would come out of a traditional restaurant.

Authentic? No. But this is the kind of uncomplicated buttery bread side thats fed millions of picky eaters for generations. Comprised of soft and slightly sweet French bread and slathered — there's no other word for it — in a buttery garlic and herb spread, this is akin to those slices of Texas toast that eclipse the main protein at dinner time. Only this is even better because it's on French bread, a crunchier and less chewy option to Texas toast. Of course, if you're devoted to that chewier texture, you can also purchase the same garlic spread and use it on your bread of choice.

Disclaimer: While this spread packs a buttery flavor and punch, it's made with vegetable oil rather than dairy. While that may make some shoppers leery, it can be a selling point for vegans who are trying to get a garlic mix that calls to mind the dairy-rich spreads from their non-vegan past. If that speaks to you, give this humble comfort food a try.

Winn Dixie has a chicken wing bar. It's a wild concept but a truly delicious one. Offering flavors like Ranch, Buffalo, Terriyaki, Garlic Parmesan, and Barbecue, you can also grab Plain and Breaded varieties if you like to keep it simple. If you're going to indulge in ordering the wings, go ahead and select the All-you-can-fit bucket option, which comes in a Jumbo 85-ounce bucket option and a smaller 54-ounce Regular bucket. The best part about this all-you-can-fit chicken wing bucket is the savings. As one YouTuber calculated, their Jumbo bucket of 35 wings at $23.99 came out to roughly $0.66 per wing — a solid deal if there ever was one in this time of grocery store inflation.

You can mix-and-match several different flavors, and then finish it off with some traditional Southern sides offered at the cafe counter, like mac and cheese, stewed green beans, or collards. Heck, the deli counter offers not one, not two, but three different types of potato salad (Mustard, Southern-style, and Red Skin) for you to choose from. This classic accompaniment line-up is stacked, so consider getting the whole spread for a truly Southern feast.

One reason that the cakes from Winn-Dixie get so much love is that people appreciate the not-too-sweet whipped topping they come coated in. Cakes and desserts frosted with gelatin-stabilized whipped cream topping isn't necessarily an exclusive feature to Winn-Dixie, but it's one of the few stores that sells its frosting on its own for your personal baking endeavors. You can find scoops of the frosting in little plastic containers in a refrigerated display shelf, much like how the garlic spread is packaged and sold.

Why use gelatin-stabilized whipped cream topping? First, it works as a particularly tasty alternative frosting if you find buttercream too sweet but traditional whipped cream not sturdy enough. Second, it particularly complements ice cream cake, as the unflappable texture and mild taste help coat and protect the ice cream without stealing attention away from its sweet flavor. If you find the small container of icing won't be able to cover the big cake your were planning on making, talk to the employees manning the bakery. They'll usually be willing to sell you tubs of the stuff by the pound.