Written by: Adrienne Brookbanks
September 24th is Heritage Day, or National Braai Day as it’s affectionately known across the country. Usually South Africans only need the company of a public holiday to light up the charcoal and get the steaks grilling, but because of this specially dubbed day many pleased South Africans invest a lot more time and effort into the activity. Heritage Day, or Braai Day if you will, is intended to encourage South Africans across all cultures to celebrate their cultural heritage through an activity that is inherent in any South African household.
Green your braai day
For many people, the increased awareness of the benefits of eco living and the importance of sustainability has changed the way they view the foods that they feed their families. This is a good thing no doubt, as the amount of pollution and environmental decay that our food consumption causes has an extremely negative impact on the planet – but that does not mean you have to forego the time honored tradition of a delicious summer braai even if you are looking at more healthy choices. Here are some tips on how to turn the Green Braai into an equally exciting and delicious event, and can even save you money and protect the environment at the same time!
What’s this Green Braai all about?
A Green Braai is still a braai, only with more eco-friendly food options and with an awareness of the environment. Without supplementing the enjoyment of the activity, the delicious food or the camaraderie that accompanies the Braai, you can easily turn any braai into a Green Braai.
Tip 1 – Add some vegetarian options
Many South Africans believe that no braai is complete without the ever important meat. Instead of serving steaks, wors, chops or ribs – why not braai veggie burgers and veggie dogs? You can also make interesting, colourful kebabs with vegetables instead of meat. If you are going to be entertaining vegetarians as well as non-vegetarians, remember to separate the grill (as some vegetarians prefer not having any meat remnants on their food).
Tip 2 – Accessorise the day
As anyone that has attended a South African braai can attest to, the side dishes that accompany the braai are nearly as important as the copious amounts of meat and beer. Yet it’s here that you can make your Green mark on the braai. Instead of having unhealthy chip snacks readily available to douse your guests’ appetites (which are usually bought in plastic bags and containers), prepare plates of carrots, cucumber sticks and cherry tomatoes with salsa and guacamole dips. Fry and flavour vegetables like sweet potato, butternut and carrots in a bit of olive oil for a healthy snack.
Tip 3 – That which no one will see
Your guests won’t necessarily be aware of this aspect of the braai, but if you are really serious about turning your braai into a Green Braai then investing in carbon neutral and environmentally friendly charcoal is not even negotiable. Sustainable charcoal gets hot quicker than traditional charcoal, and funnily enough it lasts longer too. It is making its way into more and more mainstream supermarkets, emerging from the shadows of nurseries and specialty shops. Other eco-friendly braai options include using an electric grill and using more environmentally-friendly liquid options, such as propane or natural gas. In America, solar barbeques are also starting to hit the market!
Tip 4 – Spend some time, save more
Flowing from the previous tip – although it seems rather irresistible to use paper plates and plastic cutlery to save on the cleaning up afterwards, using proper crockery and cutlery will be the final Green mark on your braai and justify all the effort you put into evolving the national pass time into a greener and more sustainable activity. Invest in a proper picnic basket and keep plates, knives, forks and cups that you can continue using for braai’s all year round!
The liveeco team
