Spring has sprung, and Easter is just around the corner! While we all love the tradition of dyeing eggs for the holiday, why not spice things up this year with a fun and creative twist? Let’s ditch the typical eggs and reach for something a little more unexpected: potatoes! That’s right, you read that correctly – Easter egg dyed potatoes are a fantastic way to shake things up and add some excitement to your holiday festivities. Not only do they offer a unique and interesting twist on traditional egg dyeing, but they’re also a fantastic edible decoration that the whole family can enjoy. So let’s get creative, grab some potatoes, and get ready to dye up a storm!
Easter Egg Dyed Potatoes
I am sure many of you have seen the Dyed Easter Eggs idea floating around the internet. At first, I thought it was crazy and then as the price of eggs started going up I loved the idea. However, I did not love how messy all of the ways I was seeing to used food coloring to dye Easter Eggs were.
Many of them use a paint brush to brush the food coloring on to the potato. I don’t know about you but I am not loving the idea of having small children painting food coloring on to a potato with a paintbrush. All I see there is asking for a huge mess with ruined clothing and them knocking over the food coloring. Oh, just thinking about it makes me want to run from the idea.
So I thought there had to be a better way to color potatoes with the kids using food coloring, I tested a few different ways to find one that worked and was less messy and this is it!
Instead of painting the potatoes, we shake the potatoes in the food coloring in plastic zipclose baggies. It works perfectly and keeps the mess down to a minimum!
I have all the tips and tricks to make sure your Easter-dyed potatoes are perfect this year! You and the kids will have a blast decorating potatoes for Easter!
Easter Crafts for Kids
- Whipped Cream Easter Eggs
- Temporary tattoo Easter Eggs
- Toilet Paper Roll Bunny
- Easter Wreath
- Borax Crystals Cross
Why Dye Potatoes instead of Eggs?
Potatoes are more readily available and affordable than eggs at the current moment. Right now you can get a 5 pound bag of potatoes for $2-$5, buying a dozen eggs will cost you between $3 and $8.
What kinds of Potatoes are best for dyeing?
You will want to use white or light-colored potatoes for Easter egg dyeing for the best results. It’s important to choose potatoes with smooth, unblemished skin for the best results.
What is the best Food Coloring to Use when Dying Potatoes?
Water-based food coloring. I would not suggest using gel food coloring as that is more concentrated and takes longer to dry.
Are Dyed potatoes edible?
Yes. As long as you are not adding glitter and anything else that is not edible you can use these colored potatoes to make mashed potatoes or any other potato dish. You will need to cook them and then ignore that your dish may not look like it normally does because they have been previously colored with food coloring.
Can I add more decorations to my Easter Egg Dyed Potatoes?
Yes! If you do not plan on eating the potatoes then after they are colored and they have dried feel free to let the kids get creative with glitter and stickers just like you would if they were dying easter eggs.
How to store Dyed Potatoes
If you do not plan on putting them out as decorations right away then you will want to store them until you do. For optimal preservation of your dyed potatoes, it’s recommended that you store them in a cool, dry location that is shielded from direct sunlight. The ideal temperature for storage is approximately 55°F, with relative humidity levels ranging from 40-60%. If you choose to hang them horizontally, make sure to use a durable thread or string to prevent them from coming apart. When you’re ready to showcase them, ensure they’re placed away from sources of heat, and minimize handling as the dye can potentially smear or fade.
What to do with the potatoes after Easter?
You don’t want to waste a perfectly good potato and there are a few things you can do with them after Easter is over.
- Plant potatoes. Potatoes can be planted and even with the food coloring will still grow to be more potatoes.
- Use them as stamps. Cut the potatoes in half and then have the kids dip them in paint and make pretty artwork with them.
Tips for making Easter Egg Dyed Potatoes
- Wear plastic gloves. You do not want to get food coloring on your hands it won’t hurt anything but no one wants to walk around with dyed hands for days.
- Use one color dye per zipclose baggie. Unless you want to have the eggs be multiple colors then you will want to have each baggie used for only one color.
- Allow the dyed potatoes to dry. It is important to let them dry completely before touching them and storing them.
- Use light skinned potatoes. You want the dye to color the potatoes so using a light skinned potato will make them dyable.
Supplies Needed for Easter Egg Dyed Potatoes
- 12-24 White or Gold Potatoes
- Water-Based Food Coloring, Varying Shades
- Plastic Snack or Sandwich Baggies
- Gloves
- Paper Towels
How to Make Easter Egg Dyed Potatoes
Set up the area you will be working on. I like lining the table with newspaper or craft paper.
Wash and dry your potatoes.
Once the potatoes are dried, add 1-2 potatoes to a zip close baggie.
Then add 2-4 drops of food coloring to the baggie, depending on how bright you want the color to be.
Zip the baggie closed and then shake the baggie gently to get the food coloring on the the potato.
Once the potato is colored, remove it from the baggie and gently dab any excess food coloring off the potatoes.
Place the potato on a paper towel to dry.
Repeat with the rest of your potatoes and the colors that you want to use.
How to make Easter Egg Dyed Potatoes
Let's ditch the typical eggs and reach for something a little more unexpected: potatoes! That's right, you read that correctly - Easter egg dyed potatoes are a fantastic way to shake things up and add some excitement to your holiday festivities.
Materials
- 12-24 White or Gold Potatoes
- Water-Based Food Coloring, Varying Shades
- Plastic Snack or Sandwich Baggies
- Gloves
- Paper Towels
Instructions
- Set up the area you will be working on. I like lining the table with newspaper or craft paper.
- Wash and dry your potatoes.
- Once the potatoes are dried, add 1-2 potatoes to a zip close baggie.
- Then add 2-4 drops of food coloring to the baggie, depending on how bright you want the color to be.
- Zip the baggie closed and then shake the baggie gently to get the food coloring on the the potatoe.
- Once the potato is colored, remove it from the baggie and gently dab any access food coloring off the potatoe.
- Place the potato on a paper towel to dry.
- Repeat with the rest of your potatoes and the colors that you want to use.
