Few things love more than a basket full of colorful Easter eggs. Easter is important in our family and is one of our favorite times this year. But I am often troubled by excessive commercialization. I also get peeked when Easter becomes an excuse to get overwear on treats filled with sugar, food dyes and artificial ingredients.
I’m happy to have my kids enjoy some treats for special occasions. However, we choose to maintain some of our favorite traditions in a healthy, natural twist.
Let me explain the reason!
“I naturally dyed Easter eggs… too extreme?
I admit I don’t really understand the Easter tradition of bunnies (not laying eggs) that deliver eggs and baskets full of plastic candy. I think giving kids a pile of junk food on Easter (and other holidays) sets precedents that associate celebrations with unhealthy foods. I have a better way to develop good eating habits for my lifetime.
This may sound extreme to some. Certainly there is no problem with the occasional dul of less food than healthy. But I think most worried parents would agree that their children these days get these duls a little more often. From birthdays to Valentine’s Day, Halloween, Easter, etc., there is ample opportunity for children to receive the message of fun and celebration = unhealthy delicious sweet food.
(Maybe it’s a peep on my pet?!)
But let’s get off my soapbox…for Easter eggs!
How to dye Easter eggs without synthetic colors
Eggs are one of our favorite foods so I certainly have no problem with the eggs themselves. As you can imagine, it’s a version filled with plastic candy that I’m in trouble. )
You can see that the harmless colored tablets used in Easter egg dyes contain harmful dyes that can have a negative effect on some children. Even this year, the FDA banned certain red food dyes, but synthetic colors are still permitted in food. Certainly, we don’t eat shells, but eggshells are permeable. Some kids are very sensitive to the effects of artificial food dyes, so I thought it was worth exploring more natural dyes.
There are several ways to use natural ingredients to color eggs. Available in a variety of colours, there are now even dye kits made in natural colours from food!
Option 1: Store-bought natural egg dye
To easily dye Easter eggs naturally, use safe, natural food coloring. Mix according to the following ratio, soak the eggs in a dye bath until they reach the desired color. Alternatively, buy ready-made natural dye tablets here and follow the packaging instructions.
Option 2: Natural egg dyes for fruits and vegetables
If there is no natural food coloring around (often not), you can accomplish the same thing using fruits, vegetables and herbs. I tried this a few years ago and will do it again this year.
Below are some foods you can add to hot water while cooking eggs to create different colors. You can also juice or boil the ingredients, cool them from room temperature, add vinegar, or use them as natural Easter egg dyes.
Blue coloring: Add purple cabbage to the water when the eggs are brought to a boil. Purple – Add a cup of blueberry to the water. This gives you a very deep, purple shade! Brown colouring – Onion skin will turn into a nice golden brown. Spinach leaves produce a yellowish brown color. Green coloring: Add tablespoons of spirulina to boiling water. You can also juice the greens and mix the juice with vinegar and use it as a cold dye once the eggs are cooked. Red/Pink Color: Pomegranate or beet juice is added to boiling water. You can also put two tablespoons of vinegar in pomegranate or beet juice to use it as a cold dye for a cool egg. Purple coloring: Add grape juice to boiling water or pour eggs over grape juice/vinegar mix. This will result in a spotted purple egg. Yellow/Orange Coloring: Add a few teaspoons of turmeric or saffron to boiling water, or boil these spices in water, mix with vinegar and chill.
Some notes: These natural variations make pastel-colored eggs that I think are more beautiful than neon eggs made in artificial colors. However, as a warning, you won’t get fluorescent shades using these methods!
DIY Natural Egg Dye Tutorial
These beautifully colored Easter eggs feature natural shades. A fun project that involves children!
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Active time: 30 minutes
Coloring time 8 hours
Total time 9 hours
Author: Katie Wells
1 cup red onion skins 1 cup yellow onion skin 2 cup purple or red cabbage 2 cups SINSACH 2 cups blueberry ¼ cup turmeric 2 cups beets (chopped or chopped) 2 cups 2 tablespoons grape juice 1 tablespoon (brown eggs work too)
Each color requires 1-2 cups of plant material for every 2 cups. Use 2 cups for a more vibrant colour. Since turmeric is a dry powder, you only need 1/4 cup of this to make a yellow turmeric dye.
Add one fruit or vegetable to a pot with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20-30 minutes. You can add raw eggs and vinegar to water and fruits/vegetables when simmering, but reduce the simmering time to 15 minutes or it is hard and overcooked.
Cool the liquid to room temperature and then remove the fruit/veggies and compost. Squeeze the plants and extract as many colours as possible. If you are boiling eggs with a liquid of dye, simply remove the eggs from the liquid once they are cooled and finished.
Place lean, sturdy eggs in a liquid of natural dye and add two tablespoons of vinegar. Soak in the fridge for several hours or overnight.
For a stronger dye effect, you can dry the eggs after a few hours with a paper towel or fabric towel/clean old shirt and stain them. Then, it will be returned to the dye for a few more hours.
Once stained and dried, remove the eggs from the liquid. If necessary, rub the shell with a small amount of oil to make it shiny.
You can dye brown eggs, but the colour is slightly different and it calms down a bit with white eggs. First, make the dye and then soak the hardened eggs in water to make the colour more vibrant than boiling the water. Before you die, you can use white crayons to create egg designs. Once dyed, the pattern will be displayed!
Easter Egg Hunt Strategy
I’m not a huge Easter Egg Hunts fan and I’ve completely forgotten about it, but the kids really look forward to them. Unfortunately, they usually end up in a large candy bag that somehow disappears when my kids are sleeping (maybe the Easter bunny stole it!)
In the past, I hid hardened eggs for them to find (the dog found something they missed!). Or spending a family day outside, including many other activities. Last year we did a treasure hunt with clues that led to better awards (the seeds they plant in the small horns of the garden).
Healthy candy-free Easter basket ideas
I have no problem with Easter being an era of fun celebrations and small gifts. As mentioned before (probably too much!), it’s the plastic filled part of this celebration that I’m in trouble with candy. That being said, I love baskets and keep everything in them, so my kids get a (reusable) basket filled with (non-sugar) goods every year.
Here are a few ideas I’ve tried over the years that have become a hit!
Grow your own grass
Grow grass with wheat, alfalfa or clover seeds in a small dish that fits in the bottom of a basket. Use this instead of the plastic Easter glasses under the sofa in September. Children love the novelty of growing grass indoors. As a bonus, grass should be excellent at cleaning indoor air. You can also plant it outside after Easter with the kids. If you are not growing your own grass, thin out paper and use it instead. Once done, you can recycle it!
Instead of a basket, give your child a flower pot
In a pot, put small gloves, heirloom seed packs and small shovels to grow your own container garden for your child. This also comes with ready-made totes. Herbs are one easy option and kids can use them in the kitchen! This is guaranteed to provide you with more fun than plastic toys and pixie sticks.
Check out the Thrift Store
We have a budget and certainly do Easter baskets for each child! Check out our local thrift store for fun Easter basket gifts. For example, for a year each of our children got a movie, a book, or a shoe, spending less than $10 in total.
Adopt a family pet
If you’re brave, think of a small pet. This will reinforce the focus of Easter’s “new life” and make it much more exciting than candy and toys. Just humanely! Many baby chickens, ducks and rabbits are abandoned after Easter, so only adopt pets if you plan to maintain and care for it.
Give healthy food instead of junk
If your child is looking forward to eating snacks, replace some treats with healthy and fun. Think beef jerky, fruit, nuts, or homemade energy bars. Are you really brave? Make your own “voyeur” with probiotic marshmallow recipes.
Check out this post for other Easter basket ideas! happy easter!
What is your favorite way to dye Easter eggs? When it comes to candies, do you stick to the healthy version of the regular snack, or do you want your kids to enjoy the unhealthy version for the whole day? I’d love to hear your tips and tricks below!
