Dying Easter eggs is a great Easter activity. However, it’s important to be careful about what you use to dye them. Certain dyes can leave harmful residues or chemicals in your food, making them fun to look at but unsafe to eat. Natural Easter egg dyes are a healthy alternative to commercial egg dyes.
The following is a look at some natural Easter egg dyes, and how to use them:
When it comes to using foods to dye your Easter eggs, you have two basic options. You can put the dye in the water to dye them while they boil and cook, or you can hard boil them then dye them once they’re cooled. While there are pros and cons to both options, most people agree that you have more control and can use more colors if you dye after. Just be prepared for a lot of cleanup.
The best natural Easter egg dyes are found in foods. Just like a blueberry can stain your tongue or fingers, it can also stain the shell of your Easter eggs. So, when looking for natural Easter egg dyes, just think about which dye producing foods you have available and which colors they provide.
How do you turn foods into dyes? Start with produce and either boil the item to get the color or use it as a cold dye. Cold dyes work the same way spilling wine or coffee on an item stains it. In this case, the item would be your egg.
With natural dyes, the tricks for better colors include using some vinegar as well as the natural dye, and leaving the Easter egg in the dye longer.
The following is a simple method for naturally dying Easter eggs:
First, place your eggs in a single layer in a pan and cover it with water.
Second, add about a teaspoon of vinegar to make the natural dye stronger.
Third, add in the item you are using to produce the dye. Examples include cooked carrots for orange, red wine or paprika for red, blueberries for blue and ground cumin for yellow, among many other possible options.
Now, slowly bring water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, reduce the heat and let the eggs simmer in the water for at least fifteen minutes. If you let it continue to boil, the eggs with crack.
When you are pleased with the color remove the eggs from the liquid. You can get more intense colors by using more product for natural dye, or by straining the dye source and rubbing it in. Refrigerating the eggs overnight in the dye is another great option.
While natural dyes take a little more work than buying a kit, they are easy to make and can be made with common food items, such as coffee. They are also safer and leave you with edible eggs.