Egg Me On

Tips for fun egg coloring and safe egg hunting

Yes, you can dye brown eggs! Natural dyes work beautifully with organic brown eggs, creating rich, muted colors. Try natural dyes from beets (pink), turmeric or boiled onion skins (yellow), and boiled red cabbage leaves (blue).

Here’s how:

• RED/PINK: Boil a few cut beets in a small pot of water till tender and the cooking liquid turns a deep pink. Pour liquid into a small bowl, and save the beets for a snack.
• BLUE: Put a few red cabbage leaves in a small pot with 1 cup water. Bring to a boil till the cooking liquid turns a deep blue. Pour liquid into a bowl.
• GOLD: Mix 1 heaping tablespoon of turmeric with ½ cup water in a measuring cup. Stir to blend.
• Boil eggs; remove from hot water and cool slightly.
• Rub shells with white vinegar to help the shell take up the dye.
• Place eggs in bowls with dye; let sit for several minutes – longer for deeper color penetration. Blot eggs dry with a paper towel and arrange on a festive plate.

Alternative Dye-its

Experiment with colorful herbal teas, black tea, coffee, grape juice, spinach, paprika, and even onion skins.

Food-grade egg dyes also work on brown eggs. Try preparing the solutions with less water, for strong, rich colors. They will not mask the brown entirely; rather they will blend with the egg's natural color to create a unique, textured look.

Keep it Clean

Be sure to wash your hands (and any small hands involved) before handling eggs.

Cool It

Refrigerate hard-cooked eggs after coloring them. The USDA advises discarding any cooked eggs that have been held at room temperature for more than two hours.