By Kathleen Harvey, AAP Columnist

As the Easter Bunny comes hopping down my street with basket in hand, my thoughts turn to all the lovely colors that Easter eggs can be dyed. Where do those colors come from? If you are looking for a healthier alternative to baskets filled with plastic eggs containing candy and chocolate bunnies, grab the kids and head for the kitchen.

You can hard boil eggs, decorate them with dyes made from ingredients in your kitchen, and then hide them around your yard for the kids to find Easter morning. Keep refrigerated until the night before Easter Sunday; and please don’t leave them outside for days.

To get started, fill the bottom of a pot with fresh eggs. Cover with water to about an inch over the top of the eggs so they are all submerged. Cover the pot with a lid and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Set the timer for eight minutes and not a moment more, or the eggs will develop a green ring around the yolk. Overcooked eggs haven’t gone bad, but they do have a slight sulfuric flavor, and they certainly don’t look pretty when cut.

When the eggs have finished cooking, remove from heat, drain, cover the eggs with cool water, add ice, and leave until the ice has melted, about five minutes. Drain again and the eggs are ready to be dyed.

Next, head to the fridge to make these kid-friendly egg dyes. To make the dye base, combine one quart of water and two tablespoons white vinegar in a medium pot. Bring it to a boil, add one dye, lower the heat, and simmer for 30 minutes. Let cool but not to room temperature, then remove the source of the dye if it’s a solid. Prepare all the colors to dye the eggs so they are all ready for the next step. The following provides sample colors achieved with natural food ingredients. It’s best to chop or mash the dye source to maximize color exposure to your dye solution.

• Beets = pink to red
• Paprika = red purple
• Carrots = orange
• Turmeric = yellow
• Blueberries = deep blue

• Spinach = light chartreuse
• Avocado = yellow green
• Red cabbage = soft blue purple
• Elderberries = deep blue purple

Get a utensil like a slotted spoon. Place eggs in the warm water, vinegar, and dye mixture. Let set at least five minutes, until the eggs have achieved the desired color; remove with the slotted spoon; and place on paper plates to dry. Refrigerate until the eggs are ready to be hidden for the Easter egg hunt.

After the egg hunt has concluded, eat some of the eggs and save some for snacks or to put in school lunches. Revive a tradition long held by our ancestors, including my family when I was young. Yes, I am approaching the age of a dinosaur; that’s why I am personal friends with the Easter Bunny! Happy Easter!