Virginia Tech offers options for natural Easter egg dyes

RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) -- As Easter approaches, people looking for natural ways to turn their Easter eggs all sorts of fun colors can look to some new advice from Virginia Tech.

Melissa Wright, director of Virginia Tech's Food Producer Technical Assistance Network in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, has shared tips on using common household ingredients to safely dye their Easter eggs.

“There are many foods that can impart color to eggshells,” Wright said in a press release. “Yellow coloring can come from saffron, turmeric, or carrots; red or pink from beets, raspberries, or blueberries; green from spinach or matcha; and blue from purple cabbage.”

Additionally, the natural methods of egg dying make them safer to eat once the craft is over, according to Wright.

“There is nothing about dying eggs that makes them unsafe for consumption,” Wright said. “You should consider how the eggs are stored, however, to make sure they remain safe to eat. Once you have hard boiled an egg, the protective coating is removed from the shell, which leaves pores in the shell for bacteria to enter.”

For more information about the natural dying process and to view the full release, click here.