It's Easter! When our kids were little we used to love hiding eggs around the garden and watching their eyes light up at each hard boiled discovery. So cute! Such fun. But even more fun was the family time spent together making the Easter eggs in the first place. Our kids were so delighted at the transformation of a plain ol' boring white egg into a pastel masterpiece!

You can of course use regular food dye to dye your Easter eggs, or you can have some extra fun making your own organic dyes from vegetables and spices. It's simple and fun, just follow the directions below!

Ingredients

Per cup of water use the following:

1 cup chopped purple cabbage = blue on white eggs, green on brown eggs

1 cup red onion skins = lavender or red eggs

1 cup yellow onion skins = orange on white eggs, rusty red on brown eggs

1 cup shredded beets = pink on white eggs, maroon on brown eggs

2 tablespoons ground turmeric = yellow eggs

1 bag Red Zinger tea = lavender eggs

Add one tablespoon white vinegar to every cup of strained dye liquid.

For every dozen eggs, plan on using at least four cups of dye liquid.

How to make

It's super simple! Just boil the ingredients separately in different pots or pans, using 1 cup of ingredients to 1 cup of water. You'll know the dye is ready when it's a few shades darker than you want your eggs to be. When they're done boiling, take them off the stove, strain out the ingredients, and let them cool to room temperature (you'll also want your hard boiled eggs to be room temperature). Add 1 tablespoon of vinegar per cup of dye and then fully submerge the room temperature boiled eggs in the dye. Transfer to the fridge to chill while the eggs take on their new colors. When they've reached the color you want, take them out and dry them off. It's also important to note that the deepness of color depends more on the number of times the eggs are dipped rather than time spent submerged in the dye. So if the eggs are not the color you expected the first time around, submerge them a few more times until you get the desired color. The last step is the most important. Gather your organically dyed eggs and hide them around the house or the garden for the little ones to find!

These organically dyed eggs are not just beautiful, they're also a sneaky lesson for the kiddos about the natural world. Cabbage and beets are not just icky vegetables to be avoided, they're also a source of wonder, fun, and exploration - although getting the kids to actually eat these items at dinnertime is another matter. Alas, one can only try! 

In any case, this is a fun, planet-friendly activity for the whole family to enjoy this Easter. Your kids will be amazed at the beautiful colors that come from some of the most unlikely places. Enjoy, and Happy Easter!