Make eco-friendly Easter egg dye using kitchen staples

What do purple cabbage, turmeric and beetroot have in common? They all make excellent eco-friendly Easter egg dyes! You might not see it yet, but your kitchen is full of amazing natural dyes that can turn your ordinary white eggs into a kaleidoscope of colour. Plus they’re a great way to use up your food scraps like onion skins or spices about to hit their expiry dates. 

If you’re searching for a fun and easy Easter weekend activity to do with the kids, this is one the whole family can get in on—all you need is time, a little bit of patience and this step-by-step guide courtesy of Better Homes & Gardens.

Easter Egg Tips & Tricks

• Before boiling your eggs, let them get to room temperature so they don’t crack
• Soak your eggs for 30 minutes for a pastel colour
• Soak your eggs for a few hours to overnight for a darker colour
• Keep dyed Easter eggs in the fridge for no longer than a week
• After your easter egg hunt is over, you can eat them since the dye is all-natural (just make sure they don’t stay outside the fridge for more than 2 hours so they don’t go bad)

Ingredients

• 12 white eggs, hard-boiled 
• White vinegar

For the blue dye

• ½ head red cabbage
• 4 cups (860 ml) water
• 2 tbsp white vinegar

For the yellow dye

• 2 tbsp turmeric powder
• 1 cup (250 ml) water
• 2 tbsp white vinegar

For the green dye

• Skins from 6 red onions
• 2 cups water
• 3 tbsp white vinegar

For the pink dye

• 1 medium red beet, diced
• 4 cups (960 ml) water
• 2 tbsp white vinegar

Instructions

1. In a pot, bring to a boil water and the dyeing ingredient of your choice, then lower heat and simmer for 30 minutes (note: feel free to add more water to cover the ingredients). Let cool at room temperature.
2. Strain into a mason jar or bowl and stir in vinegar.
3. Gently drop one hard-boiled egg into each mason jar or bowl of dye and let sit for minimum 30 minutes or longer depending on how dark you want the colour. Make sure they’re completely submerged.
4. With a spoon, carefully remove the eggs from the dye and put them on a paper towel or cooling rack to dry.
5. Repeat steps 1-4 with the other dyeing ingredients.