Traditions

We like to dye eggs in our family around the Easter Holiday. It is a fun activity for the kids and adults. This year I decided it was time to nix the fake dyes and find a new way to keep the tradition going without the toxins! If you would like to dye eggs naturally there are a few things to remember and the rest is experimental. I decided to try the easiest route possible.

How To Hard Boil Eggs

I found the above pin on Pinterest about hard boiling eggs in the Instant Pot. I’m always excited to find new ways to use the Instant Pot and this is a really big time saving one. The “recipe” calls for 5 eggs, I put in ten, followed the directions above and put it on high pressure for 7 minutes. Perfect Hard Boiled Eggs! We have more Cooking Hacks and AIP Hacks on our Pinterest Boards!

The Dyes

Here is a list of natural “dyes” and what colors they make white eggs. I tried with brown eggs and nothing was as successful.

• Red Cabbage= Blue
• Turmeric= Yellow
• Coffee=Brown
• Beets=Pink
• Blackberries=marbled purple and blue
• Paprika=Burnt Orange
• Spinach=Green

In most recipes I found for dying eggs naturally you must simmer the vegetables for 15-60 minutes and strain and shred and this and that. I decided to try an easier route. Were the results as pretty, no, but it still worked! Here is an awesome post by Mommypotamus if you want to get richer deeper colors.

Here Is What You Will Need

Mason Jars for adding eggs and dyes to

Vitamix or another high powered blender

Water

White Vinegar

Liquid Measuring Cup

Measuring Spoon

Patience

The Ratio’s

1 Cup of Water, 1TBL of Vinegar, 1TBL of Spice (Paprika, Turmeric etc)

1 Cup of Mixture, 1TBL Vinegar.

Seems pretty simple right? Well, here is what I did.

Yellow- I put 1TBL of Turmeric in the bottom of the mason jar, added 1TBL of Vinegar and then added a cup of water. I closed the lid, shook it until most of the Turmeric was dissolved, lastly I added two eggs to the jar.

Pinkish- I cut up a medium beet and threw it in the Vitamix with about a cup of water, 2TBL of Vinegar and made it into a puree. Poured that mixture (which was right around two cups) into a bigger mason jar and added three eggs.

Marbled Purple/Blue- I put one cup of frozen blackberries, I cup of water and 2TBL of Vinegar in the Vitamix, pureed it and poured that into a mason jar and added two eggs.

Blue- Chopped up about a quarter of a red cabbage added that to the Vitamix along with a cup of water and 2 TBL of Vinegar, pureed it, poured it into a mason jar and added three eggs.

Super Light Green- Pureed about two cups of a mixture of spinach and kale, added a cup of water and 2TBL of vinegar, poured the pureed mixture into the mason jar and added two eggs.

Burnt Orange- I added 1TBL of Paprika, 1TBL of Vinegar and 1 Cup of water to a mason jar. Shook it up, added the eggs.

Next, I put all the jars in the refrigerator. I checked on them after an hour, nothing much. I checked on them after 6 hours, not much color saturation. I left them in the fridge overnight and the results are pictured. I never got super saturated colors, but I think they turned out quite pretty and no yucky toxins!

My kids loved the experiment. I like that I’m not using toxic ingredients. We are carring on our traditions but in a new way. Next year I will try to dye eggs with a little more patience and cook the mixtures before adding the eggs and see if I get the same results that Mommypotamus got!

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Have you ever tried to dye eggs naturally? Share some pictures in the comments of your results. Do you have any tips or tricks that will help me on my next try share those too!