From now on, you can print your own barcodes
Matthias Schmid
September 24, 2021
Label homemade items with a barcode to easily keep track of inventory, expiration dates, and storage locations.
Most purchased items already have a barcode
Most packaged foods in Europe are labeled with a barcode for commerce. In this case, the barcode is the machine-readable version of a globally unique number (GTIN) that allows products to be identified repeatedly throughout the supply chain. More information on this can be found in this Blog article on the topic of barcodes.
In the supermarket, the payment process at the checkout is greatly simplified by a barcode. When the cashier scans the item at the checkout, there is a short beep. This is the confirmation that the reading process was successful. Through the barcode, the cash register system finds the stored product name, the stored price, and any price reductions.
In larger supermarkets, there is even an inventory management system connected that automatically reduces stock levels and can generate an order when a certain quantity of goods is reached.
Why equip homemade items with a barcode?
By uniquely identifying products by the manufacturer, all sorts of additional information can be stored in databases. Besides the price, as mentioned in the previous section, information about manufacturing, packaging, recycling tips, the Nutri-Score, a sustainability score, nutritional values, and much more can be saved.
This is what makes the use of barcodes interesting in the Speisekammer App as well! Here, additional attributes to the barcode are stored in a database, including the storage location at home, the quantity on hand, the minimum shelf life, a description, and even a photo.
So by scanning a product at home, you can manage your household much more easily with barcodes. You scan a product with the Pantry App and immediately have the following information at a glance:
- Inventory
- Product photo
- Storage location
- Expiration date
This also makes it interesting for homemade products - after all, it is advantageous here as well if you can record your inventory, storage location, expiration date (or possibly the production date) and a photo. In the following section, we will show you how you can skillfully label your products at home with barcodes at a low cost.
And how do I now create a barcode for my homemade jam?
To create a barcode, you need three things:
A unique identifier for your product
A barcode generator
Paper (preferably self-adhesive) and a printer
The unique identifier for your product
Typical identifiers in commerce are EAN8 and EAN13, which are 8-digit and 13-digit numbers, respectively. Unfortunately, by looking at them, you cannot tell what product they represent. If you use a Code 128 instead, you can also use letters for identification. The advantage is that you can directly see what is encoded on the printed label.
For the Pantry App, we have decided to limit ourselves to uppercase letters. So you can use any conceivable word as an identifier, provided you write it in uppercase. For example:
- TOMATOES
- PRE-COOKED
- STRAWBERRY JAM
A barcode generator
Next, you feed your identifier into a barcode generator. This creates a printable graphic from the identifier. There are some free barcode generators on the internet. You can find the one we used for this article further down.
Paper (preferably self-adhesive) and printer
Now print the barcodes you created with your printer. If you use self-adhesive address labels, you can easily apply them to your freezer bags, canning jars, and cans. For example, you can order these through Amazon (affiliate link):
Some examples for downloading
As an example, we have generated some barcodes for you that you can print out and use:
Various examples of barcodes for homemade items. You can print these out and stick them on your homemade products.
If you can't find what you're looking for, you can easily create more for free at Tec-IT yourself. Simply select "Code-128" and make sure to use only uppercase letters so that the Pantry App can read the barcodes:
Alternatives to Code128
There are also Code 11, EAN8, EAN13, QR Codes... why is Code 128 being used in this blog article?
It doesn't matter whether you use Code 39 or Code 128, they have the following advantages:
- The identifier consists of letters, so you can directly recognize by the label what kind of product it is
- The barcode includes a check digit that makes the scanning process more robust
- The barcode can be read with simple single-line (1D) scanners
Unfortunately, there is no room for additional information within the barcode itself, as it would quickly become too long.
EAN8/EAN13
If it's not important for you to be able to read the label to know what it's about, you can also use EAN8 or EAN13. These barcodes also contain a check digit. To ensure that you don't accidentally use the same barcode as food manufacturers with your own barcode, there are so-called "in-house" codes. These always start with "2" and can otherwise be chosen freely. So here you also have a huge stock of barcodes that you can read with a 1D scanner. Another advantage is the fixed width of the barcode. This is especially important when there is limited printing space on the product.
QR Codes
QR codes are quite modern compared to their predecessors; they were developed in Japan in 1994. The advantage is that there is a lot of space within the barcode itself - up to 4296 characters. When using digits, even 7089 characters can fit.
Here, information such as product name, product size, nutritional values, and much more can be directly stored. It also contains correction data for a robust scanning process and can be read quickly. The downside of the QR code is that it requires a 2D scanner.
Conclusion
In this article, we have shown you how to equip your homemade products with barcodes using fairly simple means, so that you can manage them more easily with the Pantry App. This way, you can also easily manage inventory for homemade items, add photos, and much more.
We have limited ourselves to simple 1D barcodes (Code 128) that can also be read by basic scanners.
Have fun trying it out!
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