Once my little one turned two the joy and excitement of holidays has been amplified and we are so anxious to enjoy Easter as a family this year! Holidays have always been such an important time of celebration and reflection while I was growing up and I can’t wait to have some of those traditions with my own family now.

I have been scouring the internet, Pinterest, my favorite blogs, etc to find some great egg dying protocols, Easter basket ideas, and of course Paleo-friendly recipes to use and share with all of you!

Egg Dying

I tend to try and do things as naturally as possible in our home due to my health concerns and my daughters severe dairy and soy allergy, so naturally, I have been researching how we should dye our eggs for our “first egg hunt”.  I have found several articles and come across some natural dyes to use and have included them below.  Now the truly natural dyeing process using fruits and vegetables will take quite a while to color the eggs, so keep that in mind before choosing a method for your egg adventure.

NATURAL METHOD USING FRUITS AND VEGETABLES: From Rodale Organic Life

Image above from Rodale Organics Site

A few of the fruits/veggies to use and the associated color:

• Yellow onion skins = Yellow to dark orange
• Turmeric or cumin = Bright yellow
• Red Beets= Pink to red
• Red onion skins = Pale purple to red
• Red cabbage = Blue 
• Spinach = Green
• Purple grape juice (use as is) = Lavender
• Coffee (use as is) or Tea= Tan to brown
• Chili powder = Orange
• Raspberries or blackberries = Pink to purple
• Blueberries or cranberry juice= Purple to deep blue
• Yellow or green apple peels = Yellow-green

INSTRUCTIONS

To make the dye, take 4 cups of chopped or mashed fruits and veggies, or 4 tablespoons of spice, and boil them in 4 cups of water (use less if you’re working with watery produce, such as spinach) and 2 tablespoons of white vinegar. Let that simmer for 30 minutes. Then, strain out the bits of fruits or vegetables. The remaining liquid is your dye.

Soak the eggs in the dye overnight. If the color still isn’t intense enough by morning, carefully transfer the dye and eggs to a small saucepan and gently simmer for up to 30 minutes. The results will vary from batch to batch, but that will add more character and shades to your basket!

Some Natural Prepackaged Dyes

• Color Kitchen Easter Egg Dye
• Natural Egg Dye Kit
• Eco-Kids Eco Egg Natural Egg Dye Kit
• Natural Earth Paint-Egg Dye Kit

Easter Baskets

Books

• Golden Book About Easter
• Jesus Is Risen
• God Gave Us Easter
• Easter Bugs

Toys

• Color Matching Egg Set
• Jumping Jack
• Burrow Bunny
• Meadow Medley Duck
• Color ‘N Eggs Matching Puzzle
• Egg Shaped Jigsaw Puzzle
• Paddle Balls, Airplane Glider and Puzzle Easter Basket Stuffers Bundle (Pink)
• Paddle Balls, Airplane Glider and Puzzle Easter Basket Stuffers Bundle (Blue)
• Crayola Special Effects Sidewalk Chalk
• Light Up LED Bubble Gun
• Automatic Bubble Machine

Easter Recipes

• Homemade Creme Eggs by the Paleo Running Mama
• Carrot Cake Cupcakes by Happy Wife Style
• No Bake Cookie Nests by Living Healthy With Chocolate
• Swiss Chocolate Roll Cake by Deliciously Organic
• Luscious Lemon Bars by Against All Grain
• Paleo Deviled Eggs by the Paleo Running Mama
• Avocado Caprese Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes by Cook Eat Paleo
• Dairy Free Veggie Dip by Plaid and Paleo
• Heavenly Hasselback Sweet Potatoes by Foodista
• Scalloped Sweet Potatoes by Food Faith Fitness
• Sheet Pan Roasted Veggies by Primal Palate
• Bacon Wrapped Asparagus with Lemon Balsamic Reduction by A Clean Bake
• Kickin Collard Greens by Ken Adams
• Maple Roasted Butternut Squash with Brussels Sprouts and Bacon by Wicked Spatula
• Honey Baked Ham with Spiced Apples and Peaches by The Civilized Caveman
• Roasted Lamb with Blackberry Balsamic Reduction Sauce by Plaid and Paleo

Have a Blessed and Hoppy Easter!!

–Tiffany

Some of the links in this post are affiliate links and if you go through them to make a purchase I might earn a commission. Keep in mind that I link these products are readily available, the products I use and not because of the commission I might receive from your purchases. The decision is yours, and whether or not you decide to buy something is completely up to you.