The Easter Bunny is making his annual visit on Sunday, so dyeing eggs this week is a must. If you forgot to pick up the artificial dye tablets, no problem, just open the spice cabinet and crisper drawer. A number of fruits, veggies, and spices can be used to create beautiful and unique eggs.

The folks at IKEA Centennial shared their method for dyeing eggs naturally. These eggs have a more earthy look than fluorescent dyed eggs, and develop interesting patterns and textures on their own. Elevate this egg-stra fun craft by (gently) wrapping rubber bands around the eggs or drawing patterns and letters with a crayon or candle before boiling.

Here’s How It Works:

Bring water, a couple tablespoons of vinegar, and the colorant of your choice to a boil in a saucepan. (Refer to the list of natural colorants below or experiment with other intensely-colored produce and spices; maybe paprika, tea, or cranberry juice.) Once the water has come to a boil, gently add the eggs and boil until desired color is achieved. For a deeper hue, transfer the liquid and hard boiled eggs to a bowl or cup and soak for an hour. For shinier eggs, rub them with oil once they cool. Be sure to refrigerate finished eggs.

Natural Colorants:
Turmeric = yellow
Onion skin= brown
Beet = pinkish red
Grape juice= gray
Red cabbage, whole leaves = purple
Red cabbage, chopped = blue