Natural Egg Dyes
How to dye your Easter eggs with foods around the house
In my last column, we discussed that egg prices have risen sharply recently due to the outbreak of avian flu. Many of you may be wondering if it’s worth the current investment to dye “real” eggs for Easter this year at nearly $5 per dozen. Fortunately, there is an alternative to using “real” eggs to dye. Dyeable plastic Easter eggs are available online for $1- $3 per dozen and may even be available at local discount stores.
Regardless of the type of eggs you choose, I’ve included a recipe in this week’s column on how to dye Easter eggs naturally. Using natural dyes on your eggs give them a subtle yet gorgeous color, and the longer you leave them in the dye, the darker they become. You may want to experiment with color variations by combining one or more of the dyes or leaving them in the refrigerator overnight in the dye bath to darken the color. You can add designs to the eggs by wetting and sticking small leaves and flowers to the egg and wrapping them tightly in a strip of pantyhose and securing the top with string or a rubber band before submerging in the dye. And, once the eggs are dyed and dried, I like to rub the eggs with a coat of vegetable oil for a beautiful sheen.
If you do choose to use real eggs for dyeing, do not eat them if they have been out of the refrigerator for more than 2 hours. If the temperature is above 90 degrees, leave them out no longer than 1 hour.
Natural Egg Dye Recipe
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Combine 1 quart of water with 2 teaspoons of vinegar (double or triple recipe as necessary). Submerge either hard-boiled eggs or your dyeable plastic eggs. You can even hard boil the “real” eggs in the dye for a brighter outcome. Bring to a boil, then add your natural ingredients:
Red onion skins = orange/red
Turmeric = bright yellow
Beets = pink or maroon with brown eggs
Red cabbage = blue
White onion skins or leftover coffee = tan
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Dip eggs in dye until desired color occurs, remove and air dry.
Helpful Hint: If you break an egg and a bit of eggshell gets in your raw egg mixture, wet your finger with a little water and touch the broken bit, it should come right out.
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For more information on eggs, substitutions in cooking, or natural egg dyes, visit our website at www.uaex.uada.edu or call the Howard County Extension Office at 870-845-7517. The Cooperative Extension Service is part of the University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture.
By Angie Freel
County Extension Agent - FCS
The Cooperative Extension Service
U of A System Division of Agriculture
(870) 845-7517
afreel@uada.edu