There are few things I love more than a basket full of colorful Easter eggs. Easter is important in our family<\/a> and one of our favorite times of the year. However, I often find myself annoyed with the over-commercialization. I also get peeved when Easter gets turned into an excuse to let kids (and ourselves) over-indulge in treats filled with sugars, food dyes, and artificial ingredients.<\/p>\n I\u2019m glad to let the kids enjoy some treats for a special occasion. I\u2019m opting, though, to keep some of our favorite traditions with healthy and natural twists.<\/p>\n Let me explain why!<\/p>\n I\u2019ll admit I don\u2019t really understand the Easter tradition of a bunny (they don\u2019t lay eggs) delivering plastic candy-filled eggs and baskets. I think giving our kids heaps of junk food at Easter (and other holidays<\/a>) sets\u00a0a precedent that associates celebrations with unhealthy foods. To me, there are better ways to develop\u00a0good\u00a0food habits<\/a> for a lifetime.<\/p>\n This may sound extreme to some. Certainly, there\u2019s nothing wrong with an occasional indulgence in a food that\u2019s less than healthy. But I think most concerned parents would agree that kids these days are getting these indulgences a little too often. From the birthdays of every kid in their class at school to Valentine\u2019s Day<\/a>, Halloween, Easter, etc., there are more than enough opportunities for kids to get the message that fun and celebration = unhealthy tasty sweet foods.<\/p>\n (Perhaps that\u2019s just a pet peeve of mine, though?!)<\/p>\n But let me get off my soapbox\u2026 on to Easter eggs!<\/p>\n Eggs are one of our favorite foods, so I certainly don\u2019t have\u00a0any problems with the eggs themselves. As you may guess, it\u2019s the plastic, candy-filled versions<\/a> I take issue with.)<\/p>\n It turns out that the harmless-looking color tablets used to dye Easter eggs contain harmful dyes that can have a bad effect on some kids. Even just this year the FDA banned certain red food dyes, yet synthetic colors are still allowed in food. True, we don\u2019t eat the shells, but eggshells are permeable. Some kids are so sensitive to the effects of artificial food dyes<\/a>, that I thought it was worth exploring more natural dyes.<\/p>\n There are several ways to use natural ingredients for coloring eggs. There are even dye kits made with natural colors from food now that come in different shades!<\/p>\n To dye\u00a0Easter eggs naturally the easy way, use a safe, natural food coloring. Mix according to the following ratios and soak your eggs in the dye bath until they\u2019re the desired color. Or buy premade natural dye tablets here<\/a> and follow the package instructions.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t have natural food coloring around (we often don\u2019t), you can also use fruits, veggies, and herbs to accomplish the same thing. We tried this a few years ago and will be doing it again this year.<\/p>\n Below are the foods that can be added to boiling water while cooking eggs to make various colors. You can also juice or boil the ingredients, cool to room temperature, add vinegar, and use it as natural Easter egg dye.<\/p>\n Some notes<\/strong>: These natural variations make pastel-colored eggs which I think are more beautiful than the neon eggs created with artificial colors. Just a warning, though, you won\u2019t be getting any florescent shades with these methods!<\/p>\n These beautifully colored Easter eggs feature natural hues. A fun project to do with the kids!<\/span><\/p>\n Prep Time<\/span>30 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Active Time<\/span>30 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Coloring Time<\/span>8 hours<\/span><\/span> hrs<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Total Time<\/span>9 hours<\/span><\/span> hrs<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n Author: <\/span>Katie Wells<\/span><\/p>\n For each color you\u2019ll need 1-2 cups of plant material for every 2 cups of water. Use 2 cups for a more vibrant color. Since the turmeric is a dried powder you\u2019ll only need 1\/4 cup of this to make yellow turmeric dye.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Add 1-2 cups of one fruit or veggie of choice to the pot along with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20-30 minutes with the lid on. You can add the raw eggs and vinegar to the water and fruit\/veg as it simmers, but reduce the simmer time to 15 minutes or they\u2019ll be hard and overcooked.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n Allow the liquid to cool to room temperature, then strain out the fruit\/veg and compost. Squeeze the plants to extract as much color as possible. If you\u2019re boiling the eggs with the dye liquid, then simply remove the eggs from the liquid once it\u2019s cooled and they\u2019re done.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Place undyed, hardboiled eggs into the natural dye liquid and add 2 TBSP vinegar. Let them soak for several hours or overnight in the fridge.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n For a stronger dye effect, dry the eggs off after a few hours with a paper towel or fabric towel\/clean old shirt you don\u2019t mind getting stains on, then put them back in the dye for several more hours.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Remove the eggs from the liquid once they\u2019re dyed and pat dry. Rub the shell with a little oil to make them shiny if desired.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n I\u2019ve never been a huge fan of Easter egg hunts and would forgo them completely, but the kids really look forward to them. Unfortunately, they usually result in a large bag of candy that somehow disappears when my kids are sleeping (maybe the Easter Bunny stole it!)<\/p>\n In the past, I\u2019ve also hidden hard-boiled eggs for them to find (the dogs found the ones they missed!). Or we just have a family day outside that involves a lot of other activities. Last year, we did a treasure hunt with clues that led to a better prize (seeds for them to plant in their own little corners of the garden).\u00a0<\/p>\n I don\u2019t have any problem with Easter being a time of joyful celebration and small gifts. As I mentioned before (probably too much!), it\u2019s the plastic, candy-filled parts of this celebration I take issue with. That being said, I love baskets and store everything in them, so my kids get a (reusable) basket each year filled with (non-sugary) goodies.<\/p>\n Here are some ideas we\u2019ve tried\u00a0over the years that have been a hit!<\/p>\n Grow grass with wheat, alfalfa, or clover seeds in a small dish that will fit in the bottom of your basket. Use this instead of the plastic Easter grass that you find under the couch in September. Kids love the novelty of growing grass indoors. As a bonus, grass is supposed to be great at cleaning indoor air. You can even plant it outside with the kids after Easter. If you aren\u2019t up for growing your own grass, shred paper in a shredder and use it instead. Recyclable when done!<\/p>\n In the pot, put a small pair of gloves, a pack of heirloom seeds, and a small shovel, and let your child grow their own container garden. There are even pre-made totes\u00a0for this<\/a>. Herbs are one easy option, and kids can use them\u00a0in the kitchen<\/a>! This is guaranteed to provide fun longer than plastic toys and pixie sticks.<\/p>\n We\u2019re on a budget, and doing Easter baskets for each kid sure adds up! Check out local thrift stores for some fun gifts for Easter baskets. For instance, for one year, each of the kids got a movie, a book, and some shoes, and I spent less than $10 in total.<\/p>\n If you\u2019re brave, consider a small pet. This reinforces the \u201cnew life\u201d focus of Easter and will be a lot more exciting than candy and toys. Just be humane! Only<\/em> adopt a pet if you plan to keep it and care for it, as many baby chickens, ducks, and rabbits are abandoned after Easter.<\/p>\n If your kids are looking forward to edible treats, substitute some treats with ones that are healthy and fun. Consider beef jerky<\/a>, fruit, nuts, or homemade energy bars.<\/a>\u00a0Really brave? Make some homemade \u201cpeeps\u201d with my probiotic marshmallow recipe<\/a>.<\/p>\n\u201cNaturally Dyed Easter Eggs\u2026 Too Extreme?<\/h2>\n
How to Dye Easter Eggs Without Synthetic Colors<\/h2>\n
Option 1: Store-bought Natural Egg Dye<\/h2>\n
Option 2: Natural Egg Dye from Fruits and Veggies<\/h2>\n
\n
DIY Natural Egg Dye Tutorial<\/h2>\n
\n
\n
\n
Strategies for Easter Egg Hunts<\/h2>\n
Healthy Candy-free Easter Basket Ideas<\/h2>\n
Grow Your Own Grass<\/h3>\n
Instead of a Basket, Give Your Child a Flower Pot<\/h3>\n
Check Out Thrift Stores<\/h3>\n
Adopt a Family Pet<\/h3>\n
Give Healthy Foods Instead of Junk<\/h3>\n
![\"How](\"https:\/\/wellnessmama.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/how-to-dye-easter-eggs-naturally.jpg)
<\/figure>\n<\/div>\n