How to Make Natural Easter Egg Dyes with Fruits and Veggies

Easter is right around the corner, and you know what that means: It's time to start

saving your veggie scraps. Those colorful peels that typically go straight into your

compost bin can be used to make natural Easter egg dyes.

Typically, hard-boiled eggs are dyed with store-bought kits—and most use artificial dyes to get those pretty pastel hues. If you need a sustainable option that uses all-natural fruit and vegetable extracts, try

this option. (It even comes with everything you need to grow your own grass for the eggs to rest in!)

But if you're looking for a solution using what you already have, this is the only guide you'll need. After boiling your

eggs, use one of the natural Easter egg dyes below, which are made using avocado skins, spinach, beets, onions, and more.

Using the ingredients below to make natural Easter egg dyes is simple. For each, bring one cup of water to a boil with your ingredient of choice, whether that's leftover onion skins or a handful of blueberries. Add as much or as little of that ingredient as you want, depending on how deep you want the color to be.

Once the water reaches a boil, simmer for 20 minutes. Strain out the ingredient (and

compost it!), then add a tablespoon of white vinegar to the dye. Once the dye has cooled, add the eggs. Let the eggs soak in the refrigerator overnight, which will intensify the color. In the morning, you'll find jaw-dropping Easter eggs that are sure to impress.

Are you ready to dye your Easter eggs? Use the ingredients below, depending on the color you wish to achieve. Don't be afraid to use extra. Even if the dye has a deep color, it's likely that the color of the egg won't turn out quite as deep.

For pink dye, try

avocado skins and

pits or chopped beets.

For blue dye, try blueberries or red cabbage.

For green dye, use a couple big handfuls of spinach or red onion skins.

For yellow dye, use a few tablespoons of ground turmeric.

For orange dye, use yellow onion skins or a few tablespoons of chili power.