You'll Want To Stock Up At Publix *Before* Easter Sunday Hits

This year, April falls on April 21, and if you're anywhere in the American Southeast, you might be dreaming of escaping the harsh confines of family gatherings by heading over to Publix and buying a delicious sub sandwich and cupcake to eat alone in the car. It would be so easy to shut out the world with some delicious, mustardy covered goodness. Before you go, you'll need to know, is Publix open on Easter?

Alas, if you were hoping to snag one last peanut butter cream pie, decadent chocolate cake, or some of their wonderful pre-prepared potato salad while enjoying your free cup of coffee, you'll be out of luck on Easter Sunday when stores will be closed. Yes, it's an absolute bummer, but Publix will be open on Good Friday and Holy Saturday, so get in there and get what you need before it's closed on Sunday.

Stocking up at Publix is a full-contact sport. You need your head in the game so that you don't need to make a return trip the next day, even if you want to. Make a list of what you need and be sure to grab everything on it before you start tossing all the extras in as well.

I fell in love with the chain on my first solo trip to Florida when I was 18. My friend, living in Boynton Beach at the time, told me, "You've got to go to this grocery store with me, it's awesome." I was immediately taken aback. Who speaks in such glowing terms about a chain of supermarkets? We'd passed no fewer than five of them between the highway and his house. It could not possibly be that special, could it?

It was just that special. Whether it was the cheerful and genuinely helpful employees, the overflowing produce section, the to-die-for baked goods, or their famous sub sandwiches, it all came together to make what could only be thought of as the perfect supermarket experience. And if things couldn't get any better, my friend warmed my sale and coupon loving heart by pulling out a fistful of coupons from Publix, manufacturers, and from Walmart, and proceeded to not only use all of them, but stack them, providing a deeper discount that is well known by the coupon savvy public that shop at Publix. Get this: many of the manufacturer coupons were doubled. Be still my heart. Once you understand their bylaws, it's an easy system to work and save money in.

Publix is far from the only store that will be closed on Easter. Sam's Club, Burlington Coat Factory, JCPenny, Aldi, and Target will all be closed, just to name a few. Hobby Lobby is always closed on Sunday, so there's no surprise there. If you're in need of refreshment, Kroger and Walmart will still be open, as well as Whole Foods. As per Trader Joe's website, there will be special trading hours on Easter Sunday, so make sure you call your local store before you head out to get your Everything But The Bagel seasoning and cauliflower gnocchi.

Before the holiday comes, you're going to want to stock up on some Publix fantastic deals they have right now. For instance, in Atlanta, you can get rock crab claws for only $8.99 per pound, and London Broil — perfect for pepper steak or an unconventional pastrami — for a mere $3.99 per pound. They're also rocking the wine deals, with Butternut Chardonnay, a classic, nutty wine being sold for only $12 per bottle. With Publix being closed on Easter, you should probably just buy a case.