Easter Eggs to DYE for: Natural Egg Dyeing

Growing up I remember frequently using the PAAS egg dyeing kits.  My sisters and I tried all different types: the shrink wrap "Egg Arounds", the sparkling glitter ones, and the traditional dyes.  One year we really got into it and dressed my little sister up as the Easter bunny complete with ears, a furry tail, and eye liner drawn whiskers!  I need to find that photo the next time I'm at my parent's home!
This Easter I thought my son would enjoy coloring eggs for the first time.  I had previously read a tip in a BH&G magazine suggesting the use of grape juice to naturally color hard boiled eggs.  That sparked an interest that got me researching natural food dyes. 

These are the items that I picked to use: grape juice concentrate (lavender), turmeric powder (yellow), boiled spinach (green), and tomato + chili powder (pink), each mixed with water and vinegar, which is suppose to enhance the color.




L adding the hardboiled eggs to the colored water

I got mixed results.  The grape juice concentrate and turmeric worked the best.  I probably could have left the eggs in longer for a darker hue.  I unknowingly cheated on the pink.  After seeing that the tomato and chili powder didn't work very well I added some cherry juice only to read later on the jar label that there was food coloring added.  The spinach created a bit of a mottled look which was kind of neat.

 

The eggs didn't look like as vibrant or brightly colored as the PAAS eggs I remember from my childhood.  And in addition to being more costly, the process was certainly more labor intensive and time consuming.  But it was still a fun process and learning experience for both my son and myself.  In the end, it was good bonding time and my son wasn't eating any unnatural food coloring that leached into the egg.

After decorating the eggs, L also decided little Peeps should sit with the eggs.  I guess any unnatural food coloring that he didn't get from eating the eggs, he got from the Peeps : )

Ultimately, regardless of the exterior my son enjoyed eating the eggs! 

Here is some research I had found on how to use natural dye ingredients.

2 METHODS:

Hot method-Uncooked eggs are combined with the natural dye ingredients in a pot and simmered for 1/2 hour and then allowed to dry on a rack.

Cold method-Boil eggs.  Prepare dye ingredients.  Place hard boiled eggs in cooled dye and leave for 1/2 hour.  Dry on a rack.
**I chose this method because it's child friendly and I wanted my son involved in the process.

TIPS:
1. Boiling the colors with a teaspoon of vinegar produces a more intense color.
2. Canned, fresh or frozen fruits and veggies work but fresh results in the darkest hues.
3. Natural dyes produce a matte finish, for a glossy look rub the egg with vegetable oil after dyeing.

HELPFUL WEBSITES: 
GaiamLife
About.com

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