With Easter fast approaching, Easter Egg Safety will be an increasingly important issue. After doing a quick Google search, I realized that there is lots of different information about what is safe and not safe when it comes to Easter Eggs. The bottom line is Easter Eggs safety can be compromise by us as consumers during the preparation process, so it is up to us to protect our families.

Use these tips to safely cook your hard boiled Easter Eggs:

1. Place raw eggs from the refrigerator in a large pan.
2. Cover eggs with cold water.
3. Place the pan on stove with a lid on it. Bring to a boil.
4. Turn off burner and let set for 15 minutes.
5. Finish cooling in cold water. When cool, refrigerate in covered container until ready to color eggs.

Once you eggs have been safely cooked and cooled it’s time for some egg dying fun. Easter Egg dying is a great opportunity for family fun and for parents to turn every day moments into teaching moments. Not only can you teach your children about food safety you can click here for an awesome science experiment that you can do with your child. The experiment explains why adding some vinegar to Easter Egg Coloring can be helpful when it comes to obtaining the bright hues we love.

Weather you choose to try the experiment or hop right into the egg dying fun don’t forget to wash your hands before coloring the eggs. You will also want to remember on eggs that will be eaten to only use food safe food coloring or consider using natural alternatives. Parents of children with Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder and other problem behaviors may want to consider using natural food coloring alternatives. According to a report released by the FDA in March 2011, “while no causal relationship could be found between exposure to food coloring and hyperactivity there are studies that show consumption of food coloring may exacerbate behavior.” Organ State University has some interesting suggestions for making your own natural Easter Egg dyes:

• Pink–Pickled beet juice.
• Yellow—Turmeric dissolved in water and vinegar.
• Green–Chopped frozen spinach cooking liquid.
• Orange–Grated carrots squeezed to get out the juice, mix juice with vinegar.
• Lavender–Grape juice with vinegar.
• Red–Boiled red onions or red cabbage mixed with vinegar.

Regardless of the method you choose, don’t forget to return eggs to refrigerator immediately after coloring. Additionally, if eggs crack during the hiding and finding process, discard. Cooked eggs that have been properly handled and refrigerated can safely be used for up four days

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