Winter Power and Gas Outages: How to Prepare Your Emergency Supplies

When the lights, heating and cooker stop working: what do you really need?

It is a cold winter evening. The lights go out, the electric cooker stays cold and the heating will not start. Many gas heating systems also need electricity for their controls and circulation pump. A well-planned supply can help you manage these interruptions more calmly. The essentials are drinking water, food that does not require cooking, lighting, warmth and reliable information.

You do not need every product in this selection. Build a supply that suits your household size, eating habits and the practical limitations of your home. Our 19 product suggestions offer different building blocks and alternatives.

Start with three days, then gradually build up

Germany's Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK) recommends being able to look after yourself for ten days if possible. Even a three-day supply helps. Allow two litres of water per person per day for drinking and a small amount of cooking. If you rely heavily on dried meals, allow extra preparation water. Children, people who are ill and pets need individual planning.

Plan food quantities around your usual consumption and the energy values on the packaging. An energy bar is a supplement, not automatically a complete day's ration. Familiar canned foods, long-life bread, spreads and other foods that can be stored without refrigeration also belong in your supply.

1. Food that works without a cooker

The first part of your supply should be ready to eat. That keeps you fed even if there is no safe cooking option. Keep suitable drinks available and check ingredients and allergens. Before buying larger quantities, try a small selection: food you dislike or cannot tolerate in everyday life is unlikely to help in an emergency.

1. NRG-5 Emergency Ration 125 g
   Compact emergency food for a readily accessible supply box. A practical choice if you would like to try a small amount first.
2. CONVAR-7 Field Kitchen Wheat Energy Bar with Vitamins
   A compact addition to your food supply. Pay particular attention to the wheat ingredients and the product's consumption instructions.
3. CONVAR-7 High Energy Bar Chocochino 120 g
   Another bar option for your selection. Different flavours can make a small emergency food supply more varied.
4. CONVAR-7 NextGen Crispy Choco 120 g
   A sweet option for the emergency box. Work out the total quantity you need using the pack information and your own requirements.
5. CONVAR-7 NextGen Pocket Pizza – Box of 9
   Savoury, ready-to-eat energy bars with a pizza flavour. An alternative for those who would like something savoury alongside sweet emergency foods.
6. CONVAR-7 Solid Meals Chicken Tikka Masala – 9 × 120 g
   This compressed food can be eaten directly or prepared with hot water. It offers both options without making hot preparation essential.
7. CONVAR-7 NextGen Tasting Box 3 – 9 × 120 g
   A tasting selection to try before building a larger supply. Check the contents and the instructions for the individual varieties on the product page.
8. Trek'n Eat Trekking Biscuits 125 g
   A crunchy accompaniment to drinks and other stored foods. An uncomplicated snack to round out an emergency box.
9. Conserva CONVAR VP 7-Day Emergency Food Pack
   A prepared selection for those who prefer not to build their entire supply from individual items. Before buying, check the exact contents, calorie provision and preparation requirements. Plan water and equipment separately.

A note on freeze-dried meals: A long shelf life does not automatically mean a meal is ready to eat. Allow the amount of water stated on the packaging and, where required, a safe way to heat it. The best-before date of the batch supplied and the storage conditions are what matter.

2. Store drinking water and understand treatment options

A water filter is not a substitute for stored drinking water. Start by keeping bottled drinking water available. Containers and treatment products are additional tools for transporting, storing or treating water according to the manufacturer's instructions. If authorities issue a warning, follow local instructions first.

10. 10-Litre Collapsible Water Container
    A food-safe container for transporting and storing drinking water. Clean it before use, fill it hygienically and check your stored water regularly.
11. Micropur Forte MF1/100T Water Treatment Tablets
    For treating clear water according to the product instructions. Observe the correct dose and contact time; cloudy water requires suitable pretreatment.
12. Micropur Classic MC 10T – 40 Tablets
    For preserving clear water that is already of drinking quality. Classic does not replace Forte and is not a universal solution for treating raw water of unknown quality.
13. Water Set with Katadyn Combi, Micropur and Container
    A combination of filtration, water treatment and storage. Before use, familiarise yourself with the limitations and the correct sequence of the individual treatment steps.

Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use. Filters and disinfectants do not automatically remove every contaminant. Water that may be chemically contaminated, for example by fuel or flooding, must not be assumed safe to drink on this basis alone. Protect used water filters from freezing and follow the manufacturer's instructions.

3. Hot food without mains gas: cook safely outdoors

A cartridge stove does not depend on your home's gas connection. It does, however, need compatible gas cartridges stored separately as part of your supplies. Use the outdoor stoves featured here outdoors only, never in homes, garages or tents. An open window does not make an unsuitable appliance safe for indoor use. Never use a stove as a heater.

14. Optimus Elektra FE Cooking System
    A system with a stove, pot and accessories for heating water or preparing small meals outdoors. Check the current package contents and add compatible fuel.
15. Optimus Gemini II Two-Burner Stove
    An alternative for households that want to cook outdoors using two burners. It is only useful if you have a safe outdoor space and suitable cookware.
16. Optimus Universal Gas 220 g Butane/Propane
    Fuel is a supply item in its own right. Check connection compatibility, permitted operating temperatures and storage instructions. Not every gas mixture performs equally well in winter conditions.

Test your stove and meal preparation safely before an emergency. This helps you understand how much water and fuel your usual meals require. Store cartridges according to the manufacturer's instructions, protect them from heat and never warm them using improvised methods.

4. Lighting and a hot drink without continuous electricity

A room light and a headlamp serve different purposes. Charge batteries beforehand and keep suitable backup energy available. Lower brightness settings are sufficient for many tasks and help conserve energy.

17. Fenix CL20R Camping Lantern
    A compact rechargeable light for a table or shared living area. Charge it in advance and keep a suitable charging source and cable ready.
18. Fenix HM61R V2.0 Headlamp
    Keep your hands free while finding supplies, organising equipment or helping others. Check the charge level, controls and compatible backup batteries in the instructions beforehand.
19. Stanley Classic Legendary Bottle 1.9 Litres
    Keeps already-heated drinks warm for longer. A vacuum flask does not generate heat itself, but it can reduce the need to heat water repeatedly.

If the heating fails: retain warmth rather than improvise a heater

Layers of warm clothing, blankets and sleeping bags also belong in your winter preparations. If possible, use one shared room and close the doors to unused rooms. Regular ventilation is still important. Arrange a warmer place to stay early if your home becomes too cold, particularly for babies, older people or anyone who is ill.

Never operate barbecues, outdoor stoves or generators indoors. Homemade tealight heaters are not a safe replacement for heating either. Combustion can release deadly carbon monoxide. A CO alarm does not make an appliance that is unsuitable for indoor use safe.

A quick checklist for your winter emergency box

• Plan drinking water plus additional reserves for preparation and hygiene.
• Keep foods that need no refrigeration and preferably no cooking.
• Account for allergies, medication and the needs of children and pets.
• Set aside a manual can opener, cutlery and clean drinking vessels.
• Check lamps, compatible batteries, charged power banks and charging cables.
• Keep a battery-powered or wind-up radio and important phone numbers on paper.
• Add warm clothing, blankets, hygiene supplies and personal medication.
• Store supplies dry and protected from heat and frost; regularly check best-before dates and equipment function.

Our tip: Start with water, familiar foods and reliable lighting. Then add the products that fit your household. A small, tested setup is more useful than a large supply whose preparation or operation you only figure out in the dark.

Ready to put together your winter emergency supplies? Use the linked products to compare your options. For help choosing products, contact your Benture.de team in Stuttgart at info@benture.de.

Further information

The guidance on supply duration, water quantities and safe preparation is based on Germany's Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance (BBK). The following resources are in German:

• BBK: Storing food and drinks
• BBK: Preparing for and responding to power outages
• BBK guide: Preparing for crises and disasters

Updated: November 2026. Please refer to the individual product pages for current specifications, best-before information, package contents and availability. These 19 products are a selection of building blocks and alternatives, not a requirement to buy every item or a complete emergency supply package.