Naturally-Dyed Easter Eggs

We’ve all seen them on Pinterest, but how hard is it really to naturally dye eggs? We’ve partnered with the Niantic Farmers Market to find out how to make beautifully colored (we hope) eggs dyed with spices, vegetables and fruits. Read on to see how to do it and learn from our mistakes!

Supplies Needed:

• Hard-boiled eggs
• Water
• Vinegar
• Metal spoon
• Glass cups, jars or bowl
• Metal mesh strainer
• Yellow eggs: turmeric
• Orange eggs: onion skins
• Blue eggs: blueberries
• Purple/pink eggs: beets

Instructions:

1. For each color you’ll need a 1:1 ratio of water to color ingredient. We used two cups water to two cups each color ingredient (two tablespoons of the turmeric) and 1 1/2 tablespoons of vinegar per color.

2. Bring water and color ingredient of your choice to a boil in an appropriate size saucepan or pot. Turn down the heat and let simmer for 30 minutes. Take mixture off heat and let cool.

3. Strain each mixture into your dying glass/bowl. Add egg(s) and let sit for 30 more minutes.

4. Remove eggs, rinse, dry and hide!

Lessons learned:

1. This project uses natural dyes that can easily stain kitchen utensils and items. Use only metal, ceramic or glass when doing this project. (R.I.P. plastic scrub brush and tablespoon)

2. Be sure to simmer your mixture. Boiling for too long may make you lose too much liquid.

3. Shred the beets. We chopped our beets and while we came out with a pale muted purple egg, the color can be more vibrant if you shred the beets first.

4. Want more vibrant colors? Let the eggs sit in the dye longer.

5. It takes quite a bit of onions to get the right amount of onion skins.

6. In order of least messy/stain-prone to most: onion skins, blueberries, beets, turmeric.

7. This is not a no-mess project. Just ask our kitchen. 🙂

– from the creative mind and now messy kitchen of Miss Rita

About the Niantic Farmers Market:

Celebrating the beauty of fresh by the bay! The Niantic Farmers Market is held on Methodist Street every Thursday from 3-6pm during the summer (June-Oct.) and at Smith’s Acres every Sunday  from 11am-2pm during the winter (Jan.-April). This year marks the Market’s 10th anniversary!