Emergency Preparedness: How Preppers Stock Up on Food for a Crisis
Matthias Schmid
March 17, 2021
What exactly is a prepper? They stockpile food, don't they?
A prepper is someone who enjoys the conveniences of the 21st century but does not take them for granted. In German-speaking areas, we are spoiled and accustomed to having constant access to water, food, light, heating, and electricity. A prepper assumes that this luxury could quickly come to an end in an emergency situation and therefore prepares for various scenarios. The word itself originates from the English term "prepping" or from "to prepare", which means to prepare.
Although this emergency preparedness often includes a supply of water and food, it does not necessarily have to result in hoarding food and panic buying. Calculating one's own needs, carefully planning for emergencies, and consciously selecting food and equipment can, on the contrary, lead to a very mindful approach to food, the environment, and nature.
When a crisis occurs, a prepper is happy about their well-sorted supplies and does not rush to the supermarket with the crowds to clear the shelves - they are the exact opposite of a panic buyer. Prepping is about gradually selecting and stocking up on supplies in good times - just as our grandparents used to do.
Therefore, we do not see preppers as a term of abuse or as a topic that should be marginalized to the far-right - but rather as a lifestyle, to be mindful with the conveniences of modern times and to have a suitable 'Plan B' for every convenience. We even marketed our app as a prepper app before 2019. Since then, due to the expanded range of functions, we have switched to the name Pantry App.
An emergency supply? But I have a supermarket just around the corner!
A selection of groceries from the supermarket
In our modern world, a reliable supply of food, drinking water, and medicine is always ensured! Should I prepare like a prepper for an imaginary crisis? If I need something, I just drive to the supermarket.
Such statements are heard over and over again - what realistic scenarios could actually occur that one should prepare for?
Scenarios in which emergency preparedness makes sense
Natural disasters
Despite sophisticated modern warning or early warning systems, people repeatedly find themselves in emergency situations due to natural disasters. In the news, one occasionally sees images of floods and flooded basements, of people getting snowed in in the mountains, or being shaken by an earthquake. Depending on where you live, such scenarios can indeed be realistic.
Quickly going to the supermarket or pharmacy and getting food supplies is then not possible, and one must make do with what they or their neighbors have at home. People living in affected areas would be wise to prepare for emergencies by storing essential everyday items, food, water, and medications at home.
Earthquake
In Germany, the risk of an earthquake is relatively low, yet it should not be neglected, especially in Southern Germany. The map displays in red the areas with increased danger.
Red areas on the map have a relatively high earthquake risk, while the danger is lower in the blue zones. Source: G. Grünthal et al., Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - German Research Centre for Geosciences GFZ
Hazards arising from earthquakes include collapsed or at-risk buildings, destroyed roads and transport routes, damaged gas and electricity lines, as well as the mass panic that an earthquake can trigger.
Flood
Elbe flood, photo by LucyKaef on Pixabay
The dangers of flooding include basements that are temporarily inaccessible until the water is pumped out by the fire brigade, but also long-term damage to supplies, furniture, and masonry. The risk is especially high for buildings close to rivers - insurers have very precise data on risk assessment, it's best to inquire directly with them for your place of residence or use the Flood Check.
Snowdrifts
In Southern Germany, Austria, and Switzerland, mountainous areas occasionally experience heavy snowfall and snowdrifts. These can lead to blocked roads and even cut off entire villages, isolating them from the outside world.
Severe weather
Severe weather and storms can uproot and snap trees, thereby blocking access roads or causing flooding due to heavy rain. You can get severe weather warnings directly from the Deutschen Wetterdienst. Severe weather warnings are reported quite frequently, although fortunately they often turn out to be less severe.
War and cyberattacks
The worst-case scenario is war. Fortunately, we have not experienced a war in German-speaking areas for 75 years, so the danger is relatively low. Nevertheless, the unrest in the Middle East, which is repeatedly reported in the news, could also affect us - at least in the form of cyberattacks, if an attacker specifically targets computer networks and factories, or even power plants directly.
Prolonged power outage
Candles as emergency lighting and a weak source of heat during a power outage for preppers. Credits for this image go to Festoon lights.
Over the past centuries, we as humans have become accustomed to the constant availability of a warm home, hot water from the tap, and light at the push of a button. A power outage lasting several hours can quickly disrupt this balance! At home, one can manage quite well with flashlights or candles for a short time. If it gets cold in the apartment during winter, one can make do with a thick blanket on the sofa.
During an extended widespread power outage, the cooling systems in the supermarket will also fail. The cash register systems and the electric locking system will no longer work either. Therefore, the supermarket will remain closed! Perhaps an ingenious supermarket operator will still sell food for cash. In the worst case, however, the supermarket may be sold out within a few hours due to panic buying and hoarding, or even looted. In such a crisis situation, a prepper would stay at home until the situation normalizes, and make do with the food supplies at home in the meantime.
Preparing for an escape from one's own apartment: The emergency bag
In certain situations concerning one's own home: during floods, earthquakes, or even fires. Then the food supplies in the pantry are useless. For such cases, many preppers prepare an emergency backpack with all sorts of useful contents, which is ready to grab in case of emergency and can be taken along when the house is no longer a safe place. This way, at least the next 1-2 days should not pose a problem. However, it is also important to ensure that the contents remain up-to-date - you can learn more in our blog article:
How does the Pantry App help you with emergency preparedness?
With our app, you get a tool for a proven method of emergency preparedness: private provisioning at home with food, beverages, and medications. Planning and tracking your supplies ensures a good overview, prevents you from buying too much, and ensures that no food has to be thrown away - instead, it can be exchanged as the expiration date approaches.
Once you have recorded which food items you have at home, the app takes over the calculation of key figures and provides you with an overview. The whole process works conveniently via a barcode scanner using your smartphone camera or even an external scanner.
Additionally, you can organize food items in storage locations. This way, you can always keep track of expiring or expired food and replace it in time. Especially for large supplies, this is a very useful feature!
Furthermore, the Pantry App supports you with a balanced diet. Having enough carbohydrates in the form of pasta is certainly a first step, but without a certain amount of protein and fat, it would be a rather unhealthy diet.
As the final and most important factor, the Pantry App determines how long your supplies will last! For this, you can enter the body measurements for each household member, from which the individual calorie needs are calculated. Alternatively, you can also enter your own value for the calorie requirement. Now, the energy content of all the food in your stock is matched with the energy needs of your household. This determines the number of days that the supply will last. The same is calculated for the liquid and water requirements.
This statistic is calculated in preparation mode (Prepper Mode) for each storage location and the total supplies
Suppose you want to provide for your family for ten days, as recommended by the government. If your supplies, for example, only last for nine days, as shown in the picture, you can read in the nutritional statistics below exactly which products you should still buy to achieve your goal: A balanced stockpile that is long-lasting and provides a certain level of security for some time! By the way, the example image lacks food items rich in fats and proteins - otherwise, the stockpile is too carbohydrate-heavy. On our blog, you can find an article on how to activate the Preparation Mode with the statistics in the app.
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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