How To Dye Easter Eggs Naturally With Vegetables And Spices
The kids and I, after a fun Easter Egg hunt at a local farm—fresh dirt included!
I’ve wanted to dye Easter eggs, naturally, for a long time, but was scared of the process. Was it time consuming? What materials did I need? Regular, store bought egg dye kits were a staple in my house growing up. I’ve used them for years with my own family. But as I lean more into natural living, I’m exploring more eco-friendly options. I’m vegan. A few folks in my family consume eggs, so I wanted them to have healthier, festive eggs this year.
After checking out a few DIY recipes, it seemed simple enough. I dove in, looping my children into the fun.
Here’s a peek at our process:
Boil your eggs.
Set them aside and let them cool.
Select your veggies or spices of choice. We chose turmeric spice and hibiscus tea! The colors of your eggs will vary in hue or richness depending on how long you let them soak. Natural dyes produce more earthy, softer tones than the bolder colors of standard egg dye kits. Here’s a few color options:
Turmeric = yellow
Red onion = orange to red
Chili powder = orange
Blueberry or grape juice = blue
Red cabbage = light blue
Beet = purple
Matcha powder = light green
Hibiscus tea = gray to black
Hibiscus tea boiling
Boil 2-4 cups of water. I used 2-3 cups per four eggs.
Reduce the heat.
Add in your veggies or spices. Allow them to bubble for 30 minutes or more.
The recipe that I followed suggested using 3 tablespoons of turmeric, but I sprinkled it in until the color was rich. The more teaspoons you add and the longer you let it simmer, the richer the color will be!
I also boiled 3-4 hibiscus tea bags in water, in a separate pot.
If you’re boiling vegetables, use 1 -3 cups of veggies.
Turmeric
The more teaspoons you add, and the longer you let it simmer, the richer the color will be!
Remove the liquid from the heat and let it cool. This is a super important step, especially if you have young children helping in the process. You want to make sure the dye is cool enough for them to touch.
Once cool, gently add your boiled eggs to a glass bowl or mason jar with a lid.
Pour the cooled liquid dye through a strainer, into the container that is holding your eggs. If you’re nervous about missing the mark, pour the dye through the strainer into a separate, larger bowl first. Then pour it into your egg-filled glass bowl or mason jars. (That’s what I did).
Mix in 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, per 3 eggs.
Put the lid on the jar and refrigerate overnight or longer, depending on how deep you’d like the color to be.
Pour out the liquid, and remove the eggs. Dry the eggs off gently, remove any lingering sediment. You can also rub the eggs with a few drops of vegetable oil to make them shine.
Dress up the eggs with decorative stickers or creative frills!
My son’s fun & festive eggs!
All dressed up with monster themed stickers. He mixed the dye colors and added monster themed stickers.
I learned a ton after dyeing Easter eggs naturally with my children. I hope that they’re game to do it again next year! Here’s a few takeaways:
It wasn't quick and easy! It was a long process, as I anticipated, but it was also incredibly FUN! It’s totally worth rolling out the patience and scheduling it into your Easter festivities calendar.
There's joy in experimentation! My kids loved mixing the dye colors together, seeing what would happen if we taped an egg before dip dyeing it; (It creates stripes), and adding stickers to the eggs afterwards.
My little ones were proud of their creations, even though they looked different than what I expected. I emphasize “I” because THEY had no expectations, which was lovely. Their reaction to their final product reminded me to embrace the process over a particular, preconceived outcome that I had. I was thinking picture perfect, spring pastel hues. Their eggs had more of a cool, moon rock vibe. My son even said that one looked like an avocado! :)
If the kids are game, I may try natural egg dying again next year, using veggies. I have a feeling the process gets easier the more you do it. I may also simply opt for a pre-made natural egg dye kit, like the ones sold by Crate&kids or Natural Earth Paint.
Have you tried dying your Easter eggs naturally?
My daughter’s turmeric eggs. I love how these came out! She used tape to make the stripes on the right egg.
Thanks for reading! For more resources and good energy for busy moms who want to lead healthier lives: Follow me @getmommafied on Instagram, and subscribe to my bimonthly Mommafied Note.