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Following Second Nature the South and Southern African way

Anastasia avatar
Written by Anastasia
Updated this week

Second Nature is proud to support diversity and inclusion, and this guide is the fourth in our series on Africa. Here are our other African guides:

South Africa and southern African countries have a rich history and delicious cuisine.

Across most of this region, the main meal is served at lunchtime, with leftovers eaten at dinner. If this tradition is carried out in your home, meal planning for lunchtimes can be helpful.

Here are some traditional foods and their food groups:

Carbohydrates

  • Polenta (pap)

  • Bogobe

  • Vetkoek

  • Samp

  • Potatoes

  • Beans

  • Yellow Rice

  • Ditloo

Protein

  • Braaivleis

  • Beef

  • Goat

  • Lamb

  • Pork

  • Game

  • Chicken

  • Peanut butter

  • Mohude

  • Ostrich

  • Springbok

  • Fish

  • Eggs

  • Biltong/Segwapa

  • Oysters

  • Beans

  • Yoghurt

  • Tripe

Fats

  • Coconut milk

  • Madila

  • Butter

  • Yoghurt

Vegetables

  • Morogo

  • Lephutsi

  • Chakalaka

Fruits:

  • Watermelon

  • Lemon

These can be shown visually in the South and Southern Africa Balanced plate below:

Eating 3 balanced meals a day can help keep us well-energised, full, and nourished, while also helping to maintain a healthy metabolism and stable blood sugar levels.

Here are some ideas for how to apply the above balanced plate to each meal of the day.

Breakfast

For breakfast, a maize porridge called bogobe is the traditional meal. Try topping this with nuts and seeds for extra protein and healthy fats, making it a more filling meal.

You could also add some fruit (fresh or dried) on top for extra fibre and vitamins.

Here is a mieliepap recipe: https://www.tantalisemytastebuds.com/creamy-breakfast-mieliepap-recipe/ - you can adjust this by replacing some of the maize with ground almond, and replacing the honey with a little stewed fruit.

You could try a sorghum porridge: https://jenniferskitchen.com/breakfast-in-africa/ - this has a serving of mixed tropical fruit for a delicious healthy start to the day.

Here is a delicious take on breakfast oats also: https://wellnesswithtaryn.com/banana-breakfast-oats/

And don’t forget to check out the oat/porridge recipes in the app that can be easily adapted into a maize porridge! Here are a couple of delicious options:

And here is the Second Nature chia pudding with mango recipe.

Meat and fish dishes are usually served with a carbohydrate side of pap and vegetables, creating a balance of food groups.

Eggs are a popular breakfast option in South Africa and Southern Africa. We have a wide range of delicious egg-based recipes in the app that you can try.

Lunch/dinner

Here are some meal ideas for lunches and dinner that you can apply the above balanced plate model to.

Meat and fish:

  • Cape Malay Curry is a chicken and vegetable one-pot.

  • Bunny Chow - A hollowed-out loaf of bread filled with meat curry. Add additional vegetables to the curry.

  • Oshifima is a maize porridge that is commonly eaten with meat. Adding some vegetables to this carbohydrate and protein-rich meal can make it more nutritious.

  • Potjiekos is typically centred around meats like poultry, venison, beef, or lamb. A variety of vegetables such as carrots, cauliflower, potatoes, and cabbage are added, creating a balanced meal with plenty of fibre.

  • Kapana is a street food made with grilled beef and spices

  • Mahangu soup is made with mahangu (millet), fish, goat meat or lamb and rice, served with dishes such as spinach stew or grilled meat.

  • Boerewors is a type of ground sausage made primarily from beef, goat, or lamb. Boerewors can be cooked using various methods, including grilling, frying, baking, or roasting over an open fire. It is commonly enjoyed alongside a salad or accompanied with pap.

  • Seswaa is a slow-cooked beef dish served with pap.

  • Stewed goat and chicken is popular, such as Koko ya Setswana, a hearty chicken and vegetable stew.

  • Mogatla is an oxtail stew that is slow-cooked with tomatoes, onions, broth, and bay leaves.

  • Mogodu is a tripe stew flavoured with chilli, ginger and garlic and served with potatoes and peas.

Carbohydrate-rich meals:

These meals centre around a large portion of carbohydrates. Try to reduce this portion size to ¼ of your plate, and aim to add more protein and vegetables to make the meal more energising and to help stabilise your blood sugar levels across the day.

  • Dikgobe - peas and beans slow-cooked together into a stew. Normally eaten with pap and served at special occasions and celebrations.

  • Matemekwane - dumplings stuffed with meat and vegetables. Usually served with hot soup or a dip.

  • Phaphatha - bread sometimes filled with meat.

Desserts

When it comes to desserts, mindful eating is your ally. View these as occasional foods, rather than everyday choices.

Some mindful eating tips are:

  • Eat slowly, don't rush

  • Chew thoroughly

  • Eliminate distractions by turning off the TV and putting down your phone

  • Eat in silence

  • Use all of your senses (e.g. sight, smell, sound, feel, taste)

  • Focus on how the food makes you feel

  • Stop eating when you're satisfied.

  • Ask yourself why you're eating. Are you actually hungry?

Here are some traditional desserts you can try applying the above to:

  • Magwinya, also known as fat cakes - mini doughnuts rolled in sugar and dipped in jam

  • Vetkoek– a fried dough (bun-like) either served sweet with honey or jam, or savoury stuffed with meat and vegetables

  • Maphutsi - squash flavoured with cinnamon, sugar, and butter

Here are some South African and southern African recipes you might like to try:

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