How to DIY your own natural food coloring

Food coloring is a fun way to add some pop to any dish, but most food dyes are made with hard-to-pronounce chemicals. Certain artificial food dyes have even been linked to potentially harmful outcomes, including allergic reactions. For people who prefer to stick with natural ingredients, these food dyes are fun and easy to make at home. Here are five natural food colorings and how to make them!

Pink natural food coloring

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To make pink food coloring, all you need is a can of beets. Blend the beets with the juice from the can, and store in an airtight container in the fridge for about two weeks. Then add it to your recipes to give your dish a splash of pink! 

Yellow natural food coloring

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Start by combining half a cup of water with a teaspoon of ground turmeric. Cook the ingredients in a saucepan until they start to simmer (about two to three minutes), and let it cool down. Then store it in an airtight container for about six weeks in the fridge. The recipe points out that turmeric can stain easily, so don’t use your go-to storage containers for this one.

Purple natural food coloring

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It’s confusing, but to make purple food coloring you’ll need some blueberries! Blend blueberries (fresh or frozen) with water, and use a strainer to remove the skins. Then store in the fridge for about two weeks. If using blueberries to make purple dye is too time-consuming, you can also use grape juice

Green natural food coloring

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To make this healthy dye, you’ll need 2 cups of spinach and a half cup of water. Combine the two in a frying pan, and cook it until the spinach is wilted. Then blend it in a food processor. This veggie-centric dye has a pretty strong spinach taste, which might not go so well with some sweeter dishes.

Blue natural food coloring

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Natural blue dye is one of the hardest to make, but it’s possible! You’ll need half a head of purple cabbage, water and baking soda. Simmer the chopped cabbage in water, and then drain. You’ll be left with a liquid that looks more purple than blue. Start gradually adding baking soda, and eventually the liquid will get that blue color you’ve been looking for.

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