Attention Bargain Shoppers: This is a VERY good week to stock up on common pantry supplies such as canned and frozen veggies, coffee, flour, vanilla, chocolate chips, food coloring, cooking oil, sugar, and cooking soups. It is also a good week to replace your baking pans.

The stores and food companies are marketing this week to the Easter and Passover holiday cooks; but the smart cookie will load up her pantry for later menus along the way.

Get those coupons clipped ASAP and read your neighborhood sales fliers so you know what to look for before you walk into the stores.

Now, as far as the Easter candy selections go, I am noticing picked-over merchandise. You will find good prices on specific items, but don’t count on big selections still remaining. There is only one week left to sell that stuff, so this really is the end of the Easter candy retail season. I just inventoried the treat supplies for my home and realized I don’t have any jelly beans? Sadness. I will get some when I’m out and about this week. I have all our other favorites purchased.

Here are highlights from today’s drugstore, discount store and supermarket sales fliers for the Monroe, Mich., area. All of these listings are from ads in today’s Monroe Evening News except for where I note Detroit Free Press.

• Michael’s Craft Store – if you normally don’t get a Detroit Free Press, this is a good day to get your “extra” stack of coupons from a Freep single copy paper. Reason: There is a Michael’s sales flier with several coupons and varying dates starting today going through April 3. Featured items in the sales flier include Easter baskets, craft eggs, photo boxes and baking pans. Yes, I know. There is no Michael’s in Monroe. But it is driving distance for local readers who are already shopping or have other reason to go to Toledo or Downriver.
• Dollar General – look for this flier inside a coupon book. Bounty 6-roll pack is $5 this week. Speckled jelly beans or Snicker’s Easter egg two for $1. Libby’s canned veggies 40 cents each, limit 6. Cupcake pan $4 each. Oreo cookies $2. DG does honor manufacturer coupons.
• Kroger in Monroe, Milan and Dundee – (sale starts Monday) Spiral sliced ham $1.69 a pound, limit two. Eggs at 88 cents a dozen. Pillsbury Grands and Kroger buns on the 10 for $10 list. Marie Callender’s pie $3.99. Kroger canned veggies two for $1. Buy four participating cereal or granola bars, get two free gallons of milk. Otherwise, milk is $1.99 a gallon.
• Walgreens has coupon for Coke 12-packs at five for $13. Additional coupons in flier include Russell Stover eggs and other single-serve candy items at 39 cents. Eggs are $1.29 a dozen with coupon. Wags baby wipes and infant formula on buy one get second 50 percent off. Dove on sale plus Register Rewards AND look at your coupon fliers this week.
• Kmart in Monroe has Hershey Easter 6-packs at two for $6. Kids Route 66 graphic tees at $5. Selected kids’ car seats on sale. All bath towels on sale. Singer sewing machine at $79.99 – remember, local readers, that beginning sewing will be offered via Monroe Public Schools Community Education this spring. Assorted plastic totes at $3.99. Assorted Post cereal $1.75.
• Gordon Food Service has a $5 off coupon in its flier for $50 purchase. Pancake mix 5 pounds is $3.99. Assorted danishes are $7.99 for 24-count. Cooked prime rib $7.99 a pound. Spiral sliced ham $1.69 a pound, limit two. Mixed fruit $6.99 for 5 pound bag. French cream cheesecake $5.99.
• Target has assorted Easter bagged candy at $2.69. Felt Easter baskets are $1.99. Easter grass 25 cents a bag. Disney princess dress $15 each. Selected newborn playwear sets $5 each. Cupcake stand $15.
• Toys R Us has most Lego sets at buy one get one 50 percent off. Several Toy Story toys on sale this week. All Schwinn bikes and trailers 25 percent off. Lots of outdoor play tables and play houses on sale. Assorted bagged Easter candy $1.99.
• Meijer has eggs at 88 cents a dozen. Dole pineapple 99 cents a can. Kraft shredded cheese three for $5. Strawberries three pounds for $5. Cook’s spiral sliced ham $1.48 a pound with $15 additional purchase. Ribeye roast $4.49 a pound. Philly cream cheese four blocks for $5. McCormick food coloring and extracts two for $5. Crisco cooking oil 25 percent off. Coke and Pepsi 24-packs at $4.96. Selected Del Monte canned veggies 59 cents. Storage tubs featured in the flier. Rival roaster with buffet $29.99.
• CVS Pharmacy has a three-day sale through Tuesday featuring M&Ms, and assorted bagged candy. Puffs are 97 cents. Listerine 500ml $1.99, limit three. Pop-Tarts at three for $5. Eggs are $1.49 a dozen. Assorted Easter baskets starting at $1.29. Mix and match Earth Essentials cleaning supplies at two for $5. Moms: look for the Huggies and Similac deals.