What to Put Beside Your Boerie on the Braai This Heritage Day

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The braai stays but our choices can evolve to benefit animals and the planet. And no, no one’s telling you to ditch the tjoppie.

Cape Town, South Africa (16 September 2026) – Listen, nobody is coming for your Heritage Day braai.

Braais are a big part of Heritage Day for us South Africans. Animal welfare organisation FOUR PAWS SA challenges families to add a few more plant-based options to the menu this year.

Ditching the tjoppie entirely is not the assignment, but if you’re hardcore like that – go for it!

It’s not about giving up the foods your family looks forward to every year. The organisation is, instead, encouraging South Africans to add a few more plant-based options to their Heritage Day family feast.

We are spoiled for choice with fresh produce in SA. Why not add some flame-grilled mielies, mushroom sosaties, veggie kebabs, braaied sweet potatoes, stuffed peppers or marinated cauliflower steaks to the grill?

FOUR PAWS is approaching it from a ‘something is better than nothing’ point of view. The organisation says that reducing the amount of animal products we eat, even through smaller changes, can help reduce demand for intensive animal farming.

“Compassion does not require us to give up our traditions. It invites us to evolve them. This Heritage Day, every plate offers an opportunity to celebrate our culture while making kinder choices for animals and for the world we share,” says Fiona Miles, Director of FOUR PAWS South Africa.

It’s also worth remembering that some of the best bits of a braai have never needed meat to shine. A properly charred mielie is elite. A sweet potato straight off the coals is also up there. South Africans hardly need lessons in making a good broccoli salad, relish or chakalaka. And when plant-based still feels like a stretch for you, the unbeatable braai broodtjie will always have your back.

The bigger message from FOUR PAWS is to start where you can. There’s no demand for a completely plant-based Heritage Day spread and no wagging finger if there’s still meat on the braai. Instead, the hope is that people will think about trying something different and perhaps find a few new faves in the process.

Heritage Day is all about celebrating the cultures, food and traditions we share. Those traditions have never stood completely still. Families add their own recipes, borrow favourites from one another and change the menu as the years go by.

“Our heritage is built on coming together and looking after one another. By making room for plant-based options at the braai, we’re showing that compassion can be part of our traditions too. Small choices can make a meaningful difference for animals, while still bringing people together around the fire,” says Miles.

Let’s give it a shot?