Dyeing eggs with food scraps

When the Easter Bunny comes to town, a sugar overload isn’t far behind!  While jellybeans, chocolate rabbits and marshmallow treats are often part of holiday memories past, this year keep Easter fun (and calorie free) with egg hunts and coloring activities that will surely keep everyone busy for hours!
 

Nature’s Palette:  Dyeing Eggs with Produce

At Dole, we’ve been thinking about how to repurpose some common produce scraps to get beautifully colored Easter eggs.  With produce covering an entire rainbow of different hues, we learned you can pretty much use anything to get a variety of colors – purple cabbage, onion skins (red and yellow), beets, spinach, spices like turmeric, chili and even coffee can give you vibrant colors too!  You can even try fresh herbs like parsley, dill or fruits such as blackberries!  We especially like the idea of getting an ombre effect with your colored eggs by picking one type of dye and playing around with different lengths of time the eggs are dipped!
 

How to Make Natural Egg Dye

All you need are a variety of heat-proof containers like large mugs or mason jars, hard-boiled eggs, boiling water, vinegar, and your dyeing medium. Here’s how to get started:
1.    Add your chosen dyeing medium to boiling water to extract the color. A one-to-one ratio works well, such as 1 cup of scraps or 1 tablespoon of spice to 1 cup of water.
2.    Allow the dye to cool and strain it.
3.    Pour the dye into a mason jar or container, adding 1 tablespoon of vinegar (or lemon juice) per 1 cup of dye. This will help the colors remain vibrant.
4.    Add the hard-boiled eggs and let them sit in the dye for 1-2 hours, or even overnight for deeper hues.
5.    Remove the eggs carefully and allow them to dry.

Experiment with Color

To get a beautiful ombre effect, stick to one type of dye and vary the dipping time for each egg. The longer the egg is submerged, the richer the color will become. Feel free to experiment with different combinations and layering for custom shades.
 

Finishing Touches

Once your eggs are dry, take it a step further by embellishing them with a white paint pen for a fun two-tone effect. You can draw patterns, add initials, or even create floral designs. Let your creativity shine!
 

Eco-Friendly Easter Fun

Not only is natural egg dyeing a fun and festive activity, but it’s also a sustainable way to use produce scraps that might otherwise go to waste. Plus, it’s a fantastic opportunity to involve kids in a hands-on, eco-friendly craft that celebrates the beauty of nature.
Happy Easter and happy dyeing!


Published April 1, 2025