Even if you don’t like beets or spinach you need to grab some at the grocery store and try a more traditional approach to dyeing your Easter eggs.
Sure, the fun little dye tablets you buy at the store sizzle in the vinegar and give you glorious colors. Buy some tablets but also try these neat (and fun) ways to color eggs. It will make your Easter egg experience last a little longer and you just might teach the little ones some fun nature facts.
Easter is an exciting time to spend with family, friends and to make some beautiful crafts with your family. The whole adventure starts in the produce area of the grocery store. It’s simple and fun to create all natural dye for hard boiled eggs.
We tried these natural colors and some worked out better than others. The yellow was the hardest to get a dark color out of — the pink became brighter overnight.
Here are some of the ways to color your eggs:
Think pink
Pink ingredients needed: 4 cups red beets rough chopped, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 quart water
1. Combine beets, vinegar, salt, and 1 quart of water, bring to a boil.
2. Simmer for 30 minutes, and then strain the beets and set liquid aside.
3. Place hot liquid in a small saucepan, add the number of raw eggs needed and bring to a rolling boil.
4. Cook for 12 minutes and then turn off the heat and steep eggs until you’re tickled pink by the color.
Note: We left the eggs in overnight and the very light pink eggs became darker.
Yummy yellow
Yellow Ingredient List: 4 tablespoons Turmeric, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 quart water.
1. Combine the turmeric, vinegar, salt, and water, bring to a boil and then simmer uncovered 30 minutes.
2. Once liquid has cooled dip hard boiled eggs in solution.
Depending on the intensity of yellow desired watch these little chicks carefully and remove from the liquid solution when hue is achieved.
Note: The yellow started out very light but the color darkened a bit overnight.
Going green
Green Ingredients: 6 cups spinach rough chopped, 1 tablespoon turmeric, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 quart water.
1. Combine the spinach, turmeric, vinegar, salt and water, bring it to a boil and then simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
2. Strain the Spinach and set the liquid aside. Once the liquid has cooled, dip hard boiled eggs in the solution. You can achieve a sickly green in about 30 minutes, but push through and leave the eggs in overnight for a lovely emerald coloration.
Baby blues
Blue Ingredient: 4 cups purple cabbage leaves rough chopped, 2 tablespoons vinegar, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 quart water.
1. Combine the cabbage, vinegar, salt and 1 quart of water bring to a boil, and then simmer uncovered for about 30 minutes. Strain the cabbage and set liquid to the side.
2. Once the liquid has completely cooled, dip hard boiled eggs in the solution. They will turn sky blue quickly and midnight blue if soaked all night!
Note: True enough that the blue became better overnight but it looks more purple than blue in the end.
