Natural Easter Egg Dyes

Photo Courtesy of http://doghillkitchen.blogspot.com

Traditional food colorings and Easter egg dyes contain synthetic chemicals and an assortment of artificial colors. 

While the dyes might seem harmless, keep in mind you’re coloring an egg – with a thin shell – which you’re then going to eat.

That seems a little counterintuitive to me, for anyone trying to eat more healthy and naturally. But more importantly is that these chemicals can be absorbed into your skin and your child’s skin as you’re dyeing the eggs – which, as we all know – is  not a clean and easy task!

To avoid synthetic chemical exposure, choose natural, food-based colorings to create an Earth-friendly rainbow effect.

The easiest way to use natural colorings is to add the material when boiling the eggs. Cover the eggs with water, add 1 teaspoon white vinegar, and then add the corresponding coloring agents.  This process can take a lot of trial and error, but it’s fun to play around with the shades and intensitites of colors of the foods that we normally eat without any thought to their brilliant colorings.

Some suggestions for food based Easter egg dyes:

Red and Pink - Pomegranate Juice, raspberries, cherries, cranberries, red grape juice, and pickeled beets

Orange – Cooked carrots, chili powder or paprika

Yellow – Turmeric

Brown – Coffee or black tea

Green - Spinach

Blue - Blueberries

Purple – Grape juice or blackberries

If you don’t want to deal with the muss and fuss of dyeing and boiling eggs, you can still enjoy colored eggs.  Try soaking pre-boiled eggs in fruit juice, coffee or tea for several hours or overnight for color.

This is a great way to use up extras that might otherwise go to waste!