Dyeing Easter Eggs The Old-fashioned Green Way

Dyeing Easter eggs is a big deal in our home. It is a family business, a time to get together and take part in this annual ritual.

With the advance of time and switching countries my methods have changed but and I am seeing myself going back to the old-fashioned, green way of dyeing Easter eggs.

Through the years I have tried different commercial products, mostly disregarding their health qualities. I have gone from crystal effects to marbled dyes, only to avoid the plain powder colors.

But as I'm learning and growing I feel the urge to go back to a more natural, be it old-fashioned way of dyeing Easter eggs firstly because it is more sustainable and healthy, and secondly because it makes me feel closer to the Earth and my ancestors. It is cheap too!

After trying Radmegan's methods of dyeing Easter eggs last year I was ecstatic. After consulting my grandmother (who you know for her famous phrase: A house with a cold stove is not a home) here is my adjusted take on dyeing Easter eggs so that they are safe to eat.

Use room temperature eggs to prevent cracks. Place them in a pan filled with lukewarm water together with the plant that will give you color and don't forget the vinegar, it is the ingredient that will help keep the dye on the egg.

Boil for about 30 minutes and let stay for an hour or two more. The timing will differ depending on the level of saturation you want to achieve. The more saturated color you want, the longer you need to keep the eggs in the color bath after boiling. Don't forget to polish your eggs after they dry with a drop of vegetable oil and  a wool or cotton cloth.



Red
2 red beets
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vinegar

Brown
Add a mix of red and yellow onion skins to the red beet mix after you have removed the pan from the hotplate.

Blue
5-6 red cabbage leaves
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vinegar

Yellow
3 tablespoons Tumeric
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vinegar

Dark yellow
Add a handful of yellow onion skins to the Tumeric mix during boiling.

Orange
2 handfuls of red onion skins
2 cups water
1 tablespoon vinegar

These are the colors I got with what I had at the moment. For more Easter egg dyes, visit Radmegan.

Have a healthy, green and happy Easter!

How do you dye your Easter eggs? Tell me your secrets.

This post is part of Eat Healthier month on Kanelstrand. Read the rest of the posts here and join in the discussions, we'd love to know what you think!