Properly store and preserve autumn treasures
Kira Zabe
September 29, 2022
September and October are our golden harvest months for long-lasting fruits and vegetables. Do you also find that you were able to harvest many apples, pears, plums, or quinces from the garden? Or were supplied by friends and family?
Often the double-edged sword becomes apparent here. Because everyone is delighted by the magnificent treasures that can be used to prepare all sorts of wonderful things. But perhaps you too are wondering how dishes can be modified so as not to have to eat the same thing every day. Because quickly, the food becomes tiresome or may even spoil if it's not consumed. That would be annoying, wouldn't it?
We want to support you on this topic, with our tips and recipes to bring more variety to your meal plan. Moreover, our app ensures that you don't miss any food expirations, and this way you save real money. If you're not familiar with it yet, give it a try right now!
Our first recommendation, and also the most well-known method to preserve ripe fruit for longer, is canning. This prevents the fruit from spoiling quickly, and the canned goods can easily last for 12 months. Preserved foods can be easily integrated into various meal variations.
Must a must!
Whether it's apple puree, raspberry puree, pear puree, apricot puree, plum puree, rosehip puree, coconut or nut puree. Puree is the simplest form of canning.
With Mus, it's very simple. Whether with hash browns, porridge, pancakes, or on cake. There are no limits to preferences here.
Stock of applesauce, delicious with all sorts of dishes.
Store fruit properly
Have you ever experienced this? You have a lot of apples and they rot faster than you can eat them? We are familiar with this problem too. Here, alongside the variety of apple, the key is proper storage. Only the daily requirement should be stored in the fruit bowl. Everything else should be moved to a cool, dark place, like the cellar for example. There, a humidity level of 85 to 90% is optimal. It is also important to store apples separately from other fruits and vegetables. This is because apples can influence their ripening process. If the apples are undamaged, clean, and dry, they can last without any problems until spring.
Dark and cool, that's how apples prefer it for good storage.
What makes the difference in storage for the apple variety?
Not every apple can be stored without issues. There are early/summer, autumn, and winter apples. With this list, we want to make it easier for you to understand the storability.
With this chart, storing apples over the winter will be hassle-free.
Not a conspiracy, but compote
Compote is another way you can extend the shelf life of many types of fruits and vegetables. You can easily store it for up to 12 months or even longer without any problems. It's important to periodically perform a visual check. Because it can quickly happen that a jar has let in air or was perhaps contaminated from the start. Use our App to always keep track of how much you have of what and when it needs to be consumed.
Good preparation is everything!
This saying is not far-fetched and an important tip when it comes to adding variety to the meal plan. Instead of eating potato pancakes with applesauce for 3 days in a row, meals can easily be varied to be delicious. Here we show you 3 ways to not only cover lunch but also to spice up breakfast and dinner with variety.
Breakfast: Pancakes with apple sauce*
In between: Apple sauce cake, Yogurt with apple sauce
Lunch: Potato dumplings with apple sauce
Dinner: Bread with peanut butter and applesauce
Tip: Applesauce can also be used very well as an egg substitute. One egg is replaced by 70 gr. of sauce. Give it a try!
Tomatoes are not only great for sauce.
Not blind to the obvious
The tomato is a vegetable that can also be preserved quickly by canning, without much preparation. You probably think of a delicious sauce first when you think of tomatoes, which you can prepare. But even here, with a bit of thought, variety can be brought to the plate.
If you prepare a tomato compote* it can easily transform breakfast, lunch, and dinner into something fantastic. It tastes delicious on toasted white bread, as bruschetta, or on buttermilk biscuits* for breakfast. It's also simply scrumptious with grilled meat or vegetables. The recipe described here can be kept in the fridge for about a month without any worries. If you want to preserve it for even longer, canning is essential.
You can easily make a sauce from canned tomatoes, so that a delicious tomato sauce can be conjured up. This allows the often popular dish of pasta with tomato sauce to be whipped up in no time. Canned tomatoes or vegetables are also very suitable for preparing casseroles. Whether as lasagna, moussaka, or a vegetable quiche, there is plenty of room for your creativity.
So, are you itching to get started right away? Great, then get to the jars. But don't forget! With all the pantry jars, it can happen that you lose track of their shelf life and forget which one to consume first. To prevent this from happening, our app supports you with digital monitoring. Check right away if everything is still in the green. Not using our app yet? Then download it here and try it for free.
Do you often have the problem that prepared meals spoil or you throw them away prematurely because you're unsure if they're still edible? Then this blog can support you in getting a sense for it.
We wish you lots of fun preserving your autumn treasures. Do you have any questions or suggestions? Then write to us at kontakt@speisekammer.app, we look forward to your message!
(* Unpaid advertising)
Smantry: Not perfect – but made with a lot of heart
Many of our users write to us that theyhave been looking for exactly this kind of app for a long time. At the same time, we also read reviews that say:“Good idea, but …”
And that’s exactly what we want to talk about openly today.
An app for everyday life – not for perfection
Smantry is designed to make everyday life easier: manage groceries, stay on top of things, waste less.
Your feedback shows us that this is already working well for many of you:
- Inputs are quick and straightforward
- The scanner reliably detects most products
- Editing and making changes is easy
- Our support is perceived as fast, friendly, and solution-oriented
We’re really glad to hear that – because that’s exactly what we’re building Smantry for.
Why some things are (still) not perfect
What you often don’t see from the outside: Smantry is developed by a very small team.
Right now we are 5 people, and none of us works full-time on the app. We do this alongside other projects, jobs, and commitments – with a lot of passion, but limited resources.
That doesn’t explain everything, but it provides context:
- Some functions take longer
- Technical issues (e.g. with premium activations) unfortunately happen sometimes
- Not every idea can be implemented right away
Frequently asked questions from your reviews
Why a subscription?
The subscription allows us to cover server costs, ongoing development, updates, and support in the first place. Without continuous revenue, Smantry would not be able to exist in the long term.
"Why isn’t the bug I reported being fixed?"
Sometimes there are several bugs at the same time and we have to prioritize the ones that affect core functions. That can mean that a different bug gets fixed first. We always try to resolve everything quickly – but unfortunately we can only do it step by step.
Why doesn’t Premium sometimes work right away?
Subscriptions are managed through the app stores. In rare cases, synchronization issues can occur. That’s annoying, but not intentional – our support team will always help you with this personally.
Where we want to go
Smantry is meant to get better – not just on paper, but in real everyday life.
This includes:
- more features from the web app
- better stability
- more flexibility with categories
- clearer communication
Your feedback plays a central role in this.
In conclusion
We’re not a corporation.
We’re a small team that believes in a good idea and is putting it into practice step by step.
If Smantry is helping you – even if everything isn’t perfect yet – we really appreciate your trust, your feedback, and of course a fair rating in the App Store 💛
Thank you for being part of this development.
Power outage in Berlin: Why preparation and prepping are more important today than ever
An unexpected power outage in Berlin has recently shown how quickly our daily life can become unbalanced. Traffic lights went out, card payments stopped working, and many households were suddenly without light, internet, or cooking facilities. Such events highlight: emergency preparedness and prepping are not about spreading panic, but rather a sensible and responsible preparation for real risks.
Power Outage – A Real Risk for Major Cities
Whether it's technical malfunctions, construction work, or extreme weather conditions: A Blackout or regional power outage can occur at any time. Especially in large cities like Berlin, the effects are immediately noticeable. Without electricity, many basic systems no longer function – from supermarkets to ATMs to communication.
The most important question is:
Am I prepared for this?
Prepping: Preparedness instead of fear
Prepping does not mean preparing for apocalyptic scenarios. Rather, it's about everyday readiness:
- remain capable of acting
- be able to provide for the family
- Reduce stress and uncertainty
- not be immediately dependent on external help
The power outage in Berlin demonstrates: Just a few hours without electricity can cause major problems.
Stockpiling food as a key to emergency preparedness
A well-thought-out food supply is the foundation of any emergency preparedness. Experts recommend having supplies for at least 7 to 14 days. These include:
- non-perishable food items such as rice, pasta, canned goods
- Drinking water
- long shelf-life snacks
- Baby food or special diet
- off-grid cooking options (e.g., gas stoves)
Yet many households quickly lose track: What's available? What's missing? What's about to expire?
Digital preparation with the Smantry App
Here comes the Smantry App into play – your digital companion for prepping, preparation, and stockpiling. The app helps you to plan your supplies in a structured way and to keep track at all times.
With the Smantry App you can:
- Easily capture food supplies digitally
- Define minimum quantities for emergencies
- Monitor expiration dates and prevent food waste
- prepare specifically for power outages, blackouts, and crises
- Integrating prepping step by step into daily life
This makes emergency preparedness simple, transparent, and efficient.
Prepare now instead of improvising later:
👉 Download the Smantry App and start your digital emergency preparedness today.
Power outage in Berlin as a wake-up call
The power outage in Berlin was an eye-opener for many people. It demonstrates how quickly familiar structures can collapse – and how important it is to be prepared. Those who take precautions in time remain calm, safe, and independent.
Conclusion: Take precautions now instead of reacting later
Power outages, supply shortages, and crises are part of the reality of our time. With a well-thought-out food stockpiling and digital tools like the Smantry App you can make your emergency preparedness simple and effective.
👉 Start your preparation now
Download the Smantry App and gradually build up your personal emergency preparedness – before the next power outage occurs.
Discover the app now and be prepared.
🍂 Cozy Autumn Leftover Cooking – Comfort dishes made from what's available
When the rain taps on the window and the tea cup becomes a permanent guest, the most beautiful kitchen time of the year begins: autumn. And what could be a better match than stylish leftover cooking – dishes that are not only sustainable but also truly exciting.
Autumn leftover cooking means: use instead of waste, but with a touch of sophistication. Here are some more unusual ideas to turn leftovers into small culinary highlights.
🧀 1. Pumpkin Gnocchi from leftover roasted vegetables
Do you have some leftover roasted pumpkin or sweet potato from the day before? Perfect!
Mash the vegetables, mix them with some flour, salt, and grated Parmesan, shape them into small gnocchi, and briefly cook them in salted water until they float to the surface. Then toss them in sage butter and top with chopped walnuts.
→ Tastes like Italy, looks like fine dining – and it's all made from leftovers!
🥖 2. Rustic bread salad with grapes and goat cheese
Tear stale bread into pieces, toast in olive oil until golden brown.
Add a few grapes (wrinkled ones are especially sweet), arugula or lamb's lettuce, crumbled goat cheese, and roasted hazelnuts. Mix with a dressing of balsamic vinegar, honey, and mustard.
→ A fall twist on the classic Panzanella – sweet, salty, crunchy, perfect!
🧅 3. French onion tart with leftover vegetables and puff pastry
Got some leftover puff pastry in the fridge? Make a tart out of it!
Caramelize onions in butter, add some leftover vegetables (e.g., leeks, mushrooms, or spinach). Spread on the pastry, top with a dollop of sour cream or cream cheese, and bake until golden brown.
→ Wonderfully aromatic, especially with thyme or rosemary.
🍎 4. Apple Sourdough French Toast with Vanilla Rum Butter
A piece of stale sourdough bread is soaked in a mixture of milk, egg, vanilla, and a dash of rum, fried in a pan, and served with fried apple slices and a rum butter.
→ Luxurious, yet made entirely from leftovers – perfect for a Sunday breakfast in pajamas.
🥬 5. Risotto made from leftover vegetables with lemon and herb oil
Chop the vegetable scraps finely and cook with a handful of rice into a creamy risotto.
A dash of lemon juice and some leftover herbs (parsley, basil, arugula) blended with oil make a fresh herb oil as a topping.
→ The acidity of the lemon beautifully enhances the earthy autumnal notes.
☕️ Bonus Tip: Using leftovers in a dessert glass
A few spoons of leftover compote?
Some leftover cake or cookies?
Layer it all with yogurt or mascarpone in a glass – and you have an autumnal "trifle" that looks like it came straight from a café in Copenhagen.
🍁 Conclusion
Autumnal leftover cooking is not a last resort, but a playground for creativity. When you look at ingredients with open eyes – not as leftovers, but as opportunities – small, exquisite dishes full of soul and flavor emerge.
Why we never stop refining Smantry ✨
At Smantry, we don't believe in 'finished'.
An app that is meant to accompany people in their daily lives is never complete – it grows, changes, and evolves. Just like the people who use it. 💛
We regularly pay attention to every detail:
How does a click feel? Is the path to a function clear enough? Does the idea behind a new view come across intuitively?
Sometimes it's just tiny things that make the difference – a better-placed button, a simplified overview, or a sentence that suddenly becomes clearer.
What drives us is the idea that Smantry should feel easy, familiar, and meaningful.
We want you to open the app and feel: "Ah, this is exactly how it should work."
Of course, not everything always goes perfectly. But that's exactly the point: We take the time to listen, to observe, to reconsider. Every piece of feedback, every use case, every new idea helps us to understand a little better what really matters.
Smantry is not a rigid product for us – it's a living process. A collaborative project that grows step by step.
And every update, every small improvement is a sign that we are on the right track:
A path to an app that doesn't feel like technology, but like support.
Towards a daily life that becomes simpler. Towards clarity, structure – and maybe even a bit of ease. 🌿
We're staying on it.
Because we are convinced that good things take time – and that it's worth creating them with heart.
Your
Smantry-Team