Easter is right around the corner, and with it comes the traditional dyeing of eggs. The only problem with dyeing eggs is the chemically-filled color tablets most people use. Check out the ingredients for the most common color tablets...

Sodium Bicarbonate, Maltodextrin, FD&C Yellow No. 5, Modified Cellulose Gum, FD&C Red No. 3, FD&C Yellow No. 6, FD&C Blue No. 2, FD&C Red No. 40, FD&C Blue No. 1. Magnesium Stearate, Zinc Stearate, Silicon Dioxide, Sodium.

Yikes! That's a lot of artificial colors and preservatives — things I don't feel comfortable eating myself, nor would I want to feed my kiddos.

I want my 2 boys to be able to dye eggs this year... and be able to eat them when we're done. That's why I did some research to find a much more natural approach to this activity. There are MANY natural foods that will work great for dyeing Easter eggs.

How do you dye Easter eggs?

Here’s the basic method:

1. Combine 4 cups of water and the dyeing ingredient (see list below) in a pot. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 30 minutes.
2. Remove pot from heat, and let liquid cool to room temperature.
3. Strain the solution into a large bowl, and stir in 1 tablespoon of distilled white vinegar for each cup of strained liquid.
4. Arrange hard-boiled eggs in a baking dish (or other container) in a single layer. Pour dye over eggs, making sure the eggs are completely submerged.
5. Move eggs to the refrigerator, and let steep for 30 minutes (lighter color) to 4 hours (deeper color).
6. Remove eggs from solution, and carefully dry each one. Store finished eggs in the refrigerator.

Here are some recommended ingredients for making a variety of colors. Typically, you should use about 1-2 cups of fresh produce or 2 tablespoons of a spice.

Pink/Red Eggs: cranberries, raspberries, coarsely grated beets

Yellow Eggs: ground turmeric, lemon or orange peels, chamomile or green tea

Orange Eggs: chili powder, paprika

Green Eggs: spinach, kale

Blue Eggs: blueberries, blackberries

Purple Eggs: hibiscus tea, red wine

Dyeing eggs can be a fun tradition to add to your Easter celebrations. I hope you'll give these natural dyes a try this year!