With the price of eggs these days, you may not even be thinking about buying some to dye for Easter. Well, we hope that isn’t the case because having a basket full of colorful Easter eggs is a fun arts and crafts activity for the whole family. Easter doesn’t have to be another holiday that promotes overindulgence! You can eliminate a good portion of sugary treats, food dyes, and artificial ingredients this year.
Why Are Eggs Associated With Easter?
Quite frankly, you may be wondering what eggs have to do with Easter in the first place. No, bunnies do not lay eggs, nor do they deliver them to secret places in your house. Throughout history, people have given each other eggs at spring festivals to celebrate the start of the new season. An egg represents new life and rebirth, and the theory is that this ancient custom made its way into Easter celebrations.
During medieval times, for example, one could not eat eggs during Lent, the 40-day period before Easter. On Easter Sunday, indulging in an egg was a true treat! That was especially true for people who could not afford to buy meat. Historians note that eggs were given to the church on Good Friday as offerings. It was only in the late 1200s that eggs were decorated with colors and gold leaf and given to Edward I’s household.
Are Naturally-Dyed Eggs Too Extreme?
Eggs, aside from the higher cost this Easter, are not the issue we are concerned with. We take issue with giving children an unlimited supply of plastic eggs filled with candy. Giving kids copious amounts of junk food at Easter and other holidays sets an unhealthy precedent. They do not need to associate holidays with unhealthy foods. There are better ways to develop healthier habits for life!
An occasional indulgence is perfectly fine, and you should not deprive yourself, or the little ones, of those treats. The point we are trying to make is that kids may receive these indulgences a little too often. From birthdays and Valentine’s Day to Easter, Halloween, and beyond, there are plenty of opportunities for kids to indulge in sweets. Celebration does not always have to equate to unhealthy, overly sweet treats.
How To Dye Easter Eggs Without Synthetic Colors
The color tablets that people use to dye easter eggs contain harmful dyes, which may negatively affect certain children. In fact, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently banned certain red food dyes, but synthetic colors are still permitted in food. Nobody eats the colorful shells of Easter eggs, but egg shells are permeable. With food sensitivities on the rise, it’s worth considering natural dyes for coloring eggs.
DIY Natural Egg Dye Tutorial
Equipment:
- Large pot (for boiling eggs)
- Small pot with lid (one for each color you use)
- Strainer
- Paper towels (or old rags)
Materials:
- 1 cup red onion skins
- 1 cup yellow onion skins
- 2 cups purple cabbage
- 2 cups spinach
- 2 cups blueberries
- 1/4 cup turmeric
- 2 cups beets, chopped
- 2 cups grape juice
- 2 tablespoons vinegar (per color used)
- White eggs
Instructions:
- For each color you decide to use, you will need one to two cups of plant material for every two cups of water. Use two cups for a deeper, more vibrant color. Because turmeric is dried, you will only need 1/4 cup of water to make the yellow turmeric dye.
- Add one to two cups of one fruit or vegetable of choice, along with two cups of water, to a saucepan and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer with the lid on for 20-30 minutes.
- You can add the raw eggs and vinegar with simmering fruit/vegetable, but make sure that you reduce the simmer time to 15 minutes, or else you will overcook the eggs.
- Let the liquid cool to room temperature before straining the fruit/vegetable. Make sure to compost the fruit or vegetable to reduce food waste, but squeeze as much liquid out of the plants as possible before doing so.
- If you boil the eggs with the dye liquid, remove the eggs from the liquid once cooled.
- Place un-dyed hard boiled eggs into the natural dye liquid and add two tablespoons of vinegar. Allow them to soak for several hours or overnight in the fridge.
- Remove eggs from the dye liquid after soaking and pat dry. Rub the shell with a small amount of oil to make them shiny.
Vincent Stevens is the senior content writer at Dherbs. As a fitness and health and wellness enthusiast, he enjoys covering a variety of topics, including the latest health, fitness, beauty, and lifestyle trends. His goal is to inform people of different ways they can improve their overall health, which aligns with Dherbs’ core values. He received his bachelor’s degree in creative writing from the University of Redlands, graduating summa cum laude. He lives in Los Angeles, CA.
