This Week: Cabbage Dyed Eggs!

There are many fruits and vegetables that can be used as natural dyes for coloring eggs, including onions, beets, and turmeric as just a few examples.  Red cabbage is unique because the dyed egg color is different than expected!  Red cabbage contains a compound that acts like an acid-base indicator, and changes color depending on how acidic something is.  Eggs, being less acidic and more alkaline, change the red cabbage color from red to blue!  For this week’s activity, we will naturally dye eggs!

Materials: Hardboiled Eggs  One head of red cabbage  White vinegar

Step 1 - Chop Roughly chop the entire cabbage head, including the core, into small to medium sized pieces.

Step 2 – Boil Add the chopped cabbage to a pot with water and bring to a boil.  For reference, you’ll want about a cup of water for each cup of cabbage.  For a small head of red cabbage, this is probably about five cups of water.  Once the water is boiling, reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.

Step 3 - Strain Strain and remove the chopped cabbage.  Once all the cabbage is removed, add about 4 tablespoons of vinegar to your cabbage juice.   This will help the dye to adhere to the eggs!  Allow the dye to cool completely before using it.

Step 4 – Dye You can keep the cabbage dye in the pot or transfer it to small bowls or cups.  Submerge eggs in the dye to color them.  The length of time spent in the dye will determine how deep the color is.  The deepest color can be achieved by soaking eggs overnight.  A very light blue can be seen in as little as 15 minutes!  These eggs are completely safe to eat, as the natural cabbage dye is edible! If you do plan on eating the dyed eggs, keep the eggs refrigerated through the dying process.  Tip: you can also naturally shine your eggs by rubbing vegetable oil on the shell!

MARCH CHILDREN'S EDUCATION CLASSES One of the most important aspects of plant growth is soil. Learn all about soil, including structure and what lives in soil that helps plants grow! Learn how soil is created, through geologic processes. Take home a crystallization experiment! Each class is limited to 10 participants per group. Only one group per session. Cost: $50/group Classes held rain/shine/snow & include outdoor educational walk. Days: Thursday or Friday option Times: 10:00 am or 1:00 pm option. Masks and social distancing required!

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