8 Hacks for Dyeing Easter Eggs

How to Keep Hard Boiled Eggs from Cracking

You can’t dye an Easter egg if it’s already cracked, so here’s how to prevent it: When you’re boiling them, add a teaspoon of vinegar and a tablespoon of salt to the boiling water. The salt will make them easier to peel, and the vinegar keeps them from cracking while they’re in the pot. Or, keep shells intact with lemon: Another way to prevent boiled eggs from cracking is by using lemon. Just cut a lemon in half, then rub the cut side on the shells before cooking them.

Is This Egg Hard-Boiled or Raw?

It’s easy to tell whether an egg has been hard-boiled: Spin it. If it wobbles, it’s raw—the yolk sloshes from one end of the egg to the other. Hard-cooked eggs spin evenly, because the yolk is held in place by the cooked egg white. Reduce your risk of spinning an egg right off the counter by adding a drop or two of food coloring to the water when you boil them. It will dye the shells so you can tell the difference between the two kinds.

DIY Easter Egg Dye

Never, ever pay for egg dye! Simply mix ½ cup boiling water with ½ teaspoon white vinegar, and add food coloring until you get a hue you like. Or, for all-natural dyes, just add colorful ingredients to the water while you boil your eggs. Use grass for green, onionskins for yellow and deep orange, and beets for pink. If you plan to eat the eggs, be sure to use plants that haven’t been fertilized or treated with pesticides or other chemicals.

Easter Egg Tats

Punch up your Easter eggs this year by applying temporary tattoos in addition to colorful dyes. Your kids will want to put the tats on themselves, too!

Easy Egg Dyeing for Young Kids

The wire apparatus that comes with egg dye kits can be hard to handle! Instead, use a kitchen whisk. Pop an egg in, and it won’t be able to get out of the “cage” of the whisk. Dip it in the dye, then pop it out when you’re done.

DIY Easter Egg Holder

The perfect holder for an Easter egg? The upside-down tops to soda and water bottles! For a little extra flair, glue a piece of Easter ribbon around the outside of them.

Go with Plastic Eggs

Sometimes, the plastic egg route can just be easier—and it guarantees no eggs will rot while the kids are hunting for them! Later, you can use the plastic eggs as holders for kids’ snacks in their lunch, or even as the perfect holder for spoonfuls of tomato paste in the freezer.

Remove Dye Stains from Your Skin

Got Easter egg dye on your hands? Remove stains on your skin with this easy solution: Spoon 2 tablespoons salt into a small bowl and gradually mix in vinegar until you have a paste. Scrub your skin with the salt-vinegar paste and stains will disappear in no time!

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