A festive Sinterklaas menu with fruit & vegetables
4 December 2025
St Nicholas Eve means cosiness, warmth and of course... goodies! But besides the traditional ginger nuts and chocolate letters, you can also put a delicious and nutritious festive menu on the table. This Sinterklaas menu combines the typical flavours of the season with vegetables and fruit, so you can enjoy festive dishes that are also nutritious.
Starter: freshly braised carrots
These warm, slightly sweet carrots are a gentle start to the menu. Braising keeps them juicy, colourful and full of flavour, just what you need to start the evening off gently. The slight freshness makes this dish ideal as a counterpoint to the sweet treats that come later on the table.
Tip: Serve in small bowls as a "Saint's bowl". Looks cosy and portions neatly.
Main course: carrot fries with chicken and tangerine from the oven
The main course of this menu is a deliciously colourful oven dish. Winter flavours come together beautifully in these carrot fries with chicken and tangerine. The sweetness of the carrot fries perfectly matches the fresh, festive tangerine. The chicken cooks until tender in the oven, leaving you time for presents, songs or a game of dice in the meantime.
Tip: Make an extra tray of carrot fries right away, they are always the first to be eaten.
Dessert: mini apple cake with spiced nuts
With these mini cakes, you put a real Sinterklaas favourite on the table. The apple makes them deliciously soft and juicy, while the spiced nuts provide a surprising crunch. Moreover, they are small enough to taste several... exactly what you want during an evening of conviviality.
Tip: Serve warm, with a touch of cinnamon on top for extra Saint Nicholas spirit.
Snack for unwrapping: carrot cake balls
These little balls are a healthy twist on the classic sweet snack. They taste like a bite of spicy carrot cake, but a little lighter. Perfect to serve between games or when unwrapping presents.
Tip: make them a day in advance, then the flavour will be even better.
Little tips for a vegetable-rich Sinterklaas evening
- Put a bowl of raw carrots on the table: simple, crunchy and festive.
- Tangerines really belong, the smell alone puts everyone in a Sinterklaas mood.
- Make a mix of sweet and savoury. Think carrot cake balls next to mini apple cakes, but also candy tomatoes or carrot fries.
- Involve children in cooking or baking. Sinterklaas is the time to turn vegetables into something fun.
- Vary with seasonal vegetables to put colour and vitamins on the table without it feeling like "having to".