What to Buy for Easter 2026: Guide with Prices

There are two ways to approach Holy Week. The first: wait until Holy Thursday to go to the supermarket, battle the queues, settle for the packaged cod left on the shelf, and come home with what's available instead of what you wanted. The second: place your order this week, receive your goods at home in advance, and only worry about cooking.

At Bacalalo, we've been in Mercat del Ninot in Barcelona since 1990. Holy Week is the season we know best: we know exactly what is needed, in what quantities, and how to ensure it arrives in perfect condition anywhere in Spain. This guide is the result of more than three decades of serving Holy Week tables.

Order deadline to receive before Holy Week: March 28, 2026. After this date, we cannot guarantee delivery before April 2nd.

1. Holy Week 2026: Key Dates and When to Place Your Order

Holy Week 2026 falls between April 2nd and 5th. Good Friday is April 3rd, the day of highest cod consumption throughout Spain. Here is the logistical calendar you should keep in mind:

Desalted cod keeps perfectly in the fridge for 5 to 7 days after receipt. If you receive it on April 1st, you can easily cook it on the 3rd. Dried cod has a much longer shelf life and you can order it with more lead time.

Don't wait. Every year, last-minute orders become complicated due to carrier saturation. The goods you want may sell out. And most importantly: if the order arrives on Good Friday afternoon, it's useless.

2. Desalted Cod: Which Cut to Buy According to Your Recipe

Desalted cod is the star product of Holy Week. But not all cuts are suitable for all recipes. Buying the wrong cut is one of the most common mistakes, and during Holy Week, with crowded stores, there are no second chances.

In our desalted cod collection, you'll find the full range. Here's what cut you need depending on what you're cooking:

Extra Loin: for those who want the best

The extra loin of desalted cod (snout) is the most prized cut of the animal. It comes from the front end of the loin, the area with the highest concentration of natural gelatin. This is the cut you need if you're preparing a real pil-pil or Vizcaina-style cod — not an approximate version, but the recipe as it should be. At 44.90 EUR, it's the premium product in the range, and during Holy Week, it sells out first.

Extra Boneless Flank: versatility and convenience

The extra boneless flank at 19.97 EUR is the most versatile option. Boneless means you can serve it directly without worrying about any of your guests finding a bone. Perfect for baked cod, cod with tomato, or cod with potatoes. A clean, well-presented piece, with no surprises.

Fillets: the most practical option

The desalted cod fillets at 21.45 EUR are the right choice when you have several recipes in mind or when you need the cod already shredded. Ideal for those who are going to prepare homemade brandade, croquettes, or simply want ready-to-use ingredients for improvisation.

3. Dried Cod: For Those Who Prefer to Desalt at Home

There are cooks — and families — who cannot conceive of Holy Week without the ritual of desalinating. Soaking the cod on Tuesday, changing the water twice a day, and arriving at Good Friday with the fish perfectly desalted. It's a legitimate way to prepare the product, and in some cases produces excellent results if the starting cod is good.

For these cases, our dried cod collection is the answer. Dried cod has the logistical advantage that you can order it with more time — it doesn't require an urgent cold chain — and it can be in your fridge waiting several days before desalinating begins.

If you opt for dried cod, keep in mind that it will lose between 40% and 50% of its weight during desalting. Calculate quantities accordingly: if you need 1 kg of desalted cod for your recipe, start with 1.7 kg of dried cod.

The correct desalting process for Holy Week: start on Monday, March 30th. Place the cod in cold water in the fridge (controlled temperature, not at room temperature). Change the water every 8 hours. After 48-72 hours — depending on the thickness — your cod will be ready for Good Friday.

4. Prepared Dishes Ready to Serve: Fritters, Croquettes, Brandade, Empanadas

Not everyone has time to cook during Holy Week. And there's nothing wrong with that. What does matter is the quality of the product you put on the table. Our prepared dishes are made with the same cod we sell fresh: there are no two product categories, one good for fresh sale and an inferior one for prepared dishes.

Cod Fritter Dough

The cod fritters are the ultimate Holy Week appetizer. Our pre-prepared dough at 6.95 EUR is the smartest option: the dough is ready, you just have to fry it. No mixing, no proportions, no risk of being raw inside or burnt outside. For those who want real fritters without dedicating a morning to cooking, this is the solution.

Raw Cod Croquettes

The raw cod croquettes at 5.90 EUR are another Holy Week classic that solves the appetizer problem effortlessly. Raw means you fry them at home — the result is a crispy, freshly made croquette, without the appearance or taste of something that has gone through an industrial fryer. At that price, it's hard to justify making them from scratch.

Cod Brandade

The cod brandade at 10.45 EUR is perhaps the most versatile product in this category. You can serve it as a tapa on toasted bread, use it as a filling for peppers, gratin it in the oven, or accompany it with potatoes. A single unit can solve several situations at a Holy Week table.

Why prepared dishes are not a compromise

There's an idea that buying prepared dishes is a concession to convenience at the expense of quality. In our case, this is not true. The brandade, fritters, and croquettes are made with desalted cod of the same quality as the one we sell fresh. The difference between making them yourself or buying them prepared is not in the ingredients — it's in the time you spend.

5. Anchovies and Pickled Anchovies: The Perfect Holy Week Appetizer

Cod is the star, but the Holy Week table isn't complete without anchovies and pickled anchovies. They are the appetizer served while cooking, the accompaniment that makes the wait worthwhile, and in many homes, the dish everyone remembers at the end of the day.

In our Cantabrian anchovies collection and anchovies and pickled anchovies, you'll find the full selection. Here's an explanation of the key differences:

Cantabrian Anchovy Fillets — the benchmark

The Cantabrian anchovy fillets ("00" anchovies) at 24.90 EUR are the premium product in our range. The "00" size is the largest and most valued: anchovies over 9 cm, cured for a minimum of 12 months in salt, with a firm texture and a deep but not aggressive flavor. These are anchovies that you can tell are real anchovies when you taste them.

They are not the cheapest product on the market, nor do they pretend to be. If you've bought canned anchovies at the supermarket and they tasted like salt with a bit of fish, these are a different experience. The price reflects the size, curing time, and verified Cantabrian origin.

Pickled Anchovies

The pickled anchovy fillets at 13.90 EUR are the perfect counterpoint to anchovies. While anchovies are intense and salty, pickled anchovies are fresh, light, with a hint of acidity. On a well-laid Holy Week table, both have their place.

Gilda: the classic pincho

The gilda with anchovy, olive, chili pepper, and sun-dried tomato at 9.90 EUR is the perfect start to any Holy Week meal. The classic northern pincho, straightforward: an anchovy, an olive, a chili pepper. Direct, without artifice, with the flavor at the forefront. At that price, you can serve several and not worry about quantities.

6. Gourmet Preserves to Complete Your Table

Preserves are the insurance for Holy Week. They don't require special refrigeration, have a long shelf life, and can save a meal at any time without warning. They are also the perfect gift to bring to someone's house during these days.

In our gourmet preserves collection you have the complete selection: mussels, razor clams, cockles, bonito belly, piquillo peppers, and much more. These are preserves with verified origin, not the economic version of what you would find in any supermarket.

The difference between a gourmet preserve and a standard preserve is not just in the price. It's in the size of the pieces (the larger the size, the higher the quality and lower yield per can, hence the price), in the salt point, in the oil used, and in the care of the preservation process. A can of gourmet mussels does not taste the same as the canned mussels you know from the supermarket.

For Holy Week, we recommend always having at least two or three cans of gourmet preserves at home. They work as an emergency appetizer, as an improvised accompaniment, or as a base for a quick first course if the day's plan changes.

7. Quantity Chart: How Much to Buy According to Diners

This is the question we get asked most every year. How much cod do I need for X people? The answer depends on whether it's a main dish or shared, the cut, and whether it's the only protein on the table or if there are other dishes. Here are the approximate quantities:

Desalted cod as a main dish

Anchovies as an appetizer

Prepared dishes for appetizer

If you have specific quantity questions for your menu, you can consult us directly. We've been answering these questions at Mercat del Ninot for over 30 years — we know well how much is eaten at a family Holy Week table.

8. Holy Week Packs: Everything Solved in One Order

If you don't want to think about what to buy and prefer to have the selection already sorted, the gourmet packs are the most direct option. They are designed for those who want quality without having to build the order product by product.

Discover Bacalalo Pack — 19.90 EUR

The Discover Bacalalo Pack at 19.90 EUR is the perfect entry point for those who want to get acquainted with the range without committing to a large order. It includes a representative selection of our products: cod and preserves chosen to give a complete overview of what we do. It is also a functional Holy Week gift — not the typical seasonal gift, but something that is consumed and enjoyed.

For a more complete Holy Week table, combine the pack with an extra loin of desalted cod and Cantabrian anchovies. With that, you have both the main course and the appetizer sorted.

Build your own pack

The alternative is to assemble a custom order. A combination that works very well for a table of 6 people:

• Extra boneless desalted cod flank — 19.97 EUR (main course)
• Desalted cod fillets 500g — 21.45 EUR (for homemade brandade or croquettes)
• Cantabrian anchovy fillets "00" — 24.90 EUR (appetizer)
• Gilda with anchovy, olive, chili pepper — 9.90 EUR (complementary appetizer)
• Cod fritter dough — 6.95 EUR (hot appetizer)

Total: ~83 EUR for a table of 6 people. Complete appetizer plus quality main course. Less than 14 EUR per person with premium ingredients.

9. Refrigerated Shipping: How It Works and Delivery Times

Desalted cod and prepared dishes are fresh products that require a cold chain. Sending a box of preserves is not the same as sending desalted cod in optimal condition. Here's exactly how our shipping system works so there are no surprises.

How we ship cod

• Insulated packaging: each order comes in a box with thermal insulation and cold accumulators (gel packs) sized to maintain temperature during transit.
• Refrigerated transport: we work with specialized cold logistics carriers, not standard parcel services.
• Temperature control: the goods leave Barcelona between 0 and 4 degrees Celsius. The packaging maintains this temperature for 24-48 hours of transit.

Delivery times

• Iberian Peninsula: 24-48h from departure from Barcelona
• Special areas (islands, remote areas): check availability and deadlines at the time of order
• Barcelona city: possibility of pickup at Mercat del Ninot

What to do when the order arrives

1. Check the condition of the packaging upon receipt. If there are visible signs of damage during transport, document it with a photograph before opening.
2. Refrigerate the desalted cod immediately. Do not leave it at room temperature.
3. Desalted cod lasts 5-7 days in the fridge after receipt. If you are not going to use it before then, you can freeze it.
4. Prepared dishes (brandade, fritter dough, croquettes) follow the same cold storage guidelines.

Critical date for Holy Week 2026

Last day to place an order with guaranteed delivery before April 2nd: March 28, 2026.

Orders placed after this date are subject to transport availability, and we cannot guarantee delivery before Holy Week. If you have any questions about your order or logistics, contact us before placing the order, not after.

10. Frequently Asked Questions about Buying Cod for Holy Week

In Summary: What You Need for Holy Week 2026

If you take away one thing from this guide, let it be this: place your order by March 28th. The rest you can adjust, adapt to your menu, combine as you wish. But the deadline is the deadline.

For most Holy Week tables, the combination that works best is this: a cut of desalted cod according to your main recipe, Cantabrian anchovies for the appetizer, and some prepared dish (fritters, croquettes, brandade) to solve moments when there's no time to cook. With that, you have a quality Holy Week table without stress.

We have been at Mercat del Ninot for over 30 years serving Holy Week tables in Barcelona and throughout Spain. It's not marketing — it's what we do every year, with the same products, with the same criteria. If you have questions, ask us. If you already know what you want, place your order.

For more ideas and recipes: Complete Holy Week menu with cod and Cod recipes for Holy Week 2026.