Coloring Easter Eggs with Natural Dyes

Color your Easter eggs using nature’s own vivid colors from fruits, vegetables, and spices. Kids will enjoy the fun of seeing how everyday foods can imbue luscious colors. Safe, beautiful and easy!

Start with hard-boiled eggs. If you use white eggs, the colors will be of a pastel hue. You can use brown eggs but you will have to steep longer and the colors will be deeper.

Steep eggs until you get the color you want. For lighter colors, steep for 15  minutes. For deeper color, steep longer. Eggs can be steeped overnight for the richest color. Drain on paper towels.

• Blue – Combine 2 cups chopped red cabbage with 2 cups boiling water. Stir in 2 tablespoons white vinegar. Cool and strain.
• Yellow – Combine 1 quart hot water, 1 tablespoon white vinegar and 6 tablespoons ground turmeric and stir well. Let cool.
• Lavender – Combine 2 cups grape juice and 2 tablespoons white vinegar.
• Red – Combine 2 chopped beets, 1 quart water, 1 tablespoon white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon salt in a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat. Cool and strain. Or 1 cup red onion skins, 1 cup boiling water, and 1 tablespoon vinegar. Cool and strain.
• Orange–Red – Combine skins from 4 large yellow onions and 2 cups water. Bring to a boil and simmer 15 minutes. Remove from heat, strain, and add vinegar.
• Green – Peel the skin from 6 red onions and simmer in 2 cups water for 15 minutes; strain. Add 1 tablespoon white vinegar. Cool.
• Violet – 1/2 cup blueberries, 1 cup boiling water, 1 tablespoon vinegar. Cool and strain.

Finishing Touch

Your eggs will have a matte finish. If you want them to shine a little, rub a few drops of olive or coconut oil into them and polish with a soft cloth.