This is an interactive lab I created for my students to learn how to make food coloring from natural ingredients. The intent is to integrate technology (iPads/BYOD) with PBL, Cornell notes (AVID) and FUN!

1. Natural Food Coloring
http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/foodcolorhist
ry.htm/
http://itsybitsyfoodies.com/natural-buttercream-frosting-dyes/
#4
http://leitesculinaria.com/96672/recipes-natural-food-
coloring.html
#3
http://viewpure.com/Q0dhvWA5iq4
#2
http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2014/12/how-to-make-
homemade-food-coloring/
#2
http://nourishingjoy.com/homemade-natural-food-dyes/
#1
Page 1

2. Color Theory
Page 2

3. Page 3

4. Page 4

5. Food Coloring Technique #1
Source Instructions
Red Pink Orange Yellow Green
HOW TO MAKE
VEGETABLE
POWDERS FOR
HOMEMADE FOOD
COLORING
To make any herb or
vegetable powder called for
here, slice the desired
vegetable paper thin (or
merely place whole herbs or
berries on a tray) and
dehydrate in a food
dehydrator or oven set at
about 150° until fully,
absolutely, completely dry (2-
6 hours, depending on the
vegetable).
Place dried vegetable/fruit
chips or herbs in a coffee
grinder or blender and grind
until you have a fine powder.
Store in an airtight container
for up to 1 year.
Beets
Pomegranate
Beets
cranberry
Carrot
Paprika
Turmeric
Saffron
Chlorophyll
Matcha
Spirulina
Parsley
Wheatgrass
Spinach
Blue Purple Tan Brown Black
Red cabbage
Purple
sweet
potatoes
Blueberry
Purple
grape juice
Bentonite
clay powder
Cocoa
Espresso
Coffee
Black tea
Cinnamon
Black coca
Charcoal
Squid Ink
http://nourishingjoy.com/homemade-
natural-food-dyes/
Page 5

6. Food Coloring Technique #2
Source Instructions
Red
1 c raspberries
1 c pomegranates
1 red beet
1. Start with 1 red beet
2. Put it in a kitchen tool and liquefy
a) For fruit use a blender; for vegetables use a juicer/food processer
b) For vegetables it might be necessary add a small bit of water to help liquefy
3. Pour them through a fine strainer/cheesecloth to remove any seeds/pulp
c) You should have about ½ c of juice
4. Pour juice into a small saucepan and cook over medium heat until it’s reduced
to a thick, very colorful paste
5. Stir into frostings, dough, or batter as needed
6. Store in ice cube molds and freeze
7. Defrost before using next time
Yellow
2 large carrots
1 Mango
Blue
1 small head of:
-Radicchio
-Red cabbage
1. Chop up head
2. Add to medium-size pot and cover with water
3. Bring to a boil and simmer for 25 minutes, until water turns dark purple
4. Remove cabbage
5. Strain liquid
6. Add ¼ t baking soda (the liquid should turn from purple to blue)
7. Follow steps 4-7 above
Use color wheel to create secondary colors
http://blog.foodnetwork.com/fn-dish/2014/12/how-to-make-
homemade-food-coloring/
http://viewpure.com/Q0dhvWA5iq4
Page 6

7. Food Coloring Technique #3
Source Instructions
Pink
¼ c (62 grams) canned beets, drained
1 t drained beet juice from the can
1. In a high speed blender or food processor, mix the beets and
juice together until smooth. Strain if desired.
2. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the
refrigerator.
3. Add 1 t to icings, frostings, or batter for starters to impart a
pink hue. Add more coloring if necessary
Yellow
¼ c water
½ t ground turmeric
1. In a small saucepan, boil the water and turmeric for 3-5
minutes.
2. Allow to cool fully
3. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the
refrigerator. (Turmeric can stain so use a container you don’t mind turning yellow)
4. Add 1 t to icings, frostings, or batter for starters to impart a
pink hue. Add more coloring if necessary
Purple
¼ c (35 grams) blueberries, fresh or frozen
(if frozen thaw and drain)
2t water
1. In a high speed blender or food processor, blend the
blueberries and water together until smooth.
2. Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain the skins from the mix.
3. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the
refrigerator.
4. Add 1 t to icings, frostings, or batter for starters to impart a
pink hue. Add more coloring if necessary
Green
1 c (30 grams) spinach, fresh or frozen
(if frozen thaw and drain)
3T water, plus more if needed
1. Fresh spinach only: In a small saucepan, boil the spinach in
enough water to cover for 5 minutes.
a. Drain, discarding the cooking liquid
1. Frozen spinach only: Make sure spinach is thawed
2. ALL spinach: In a high speed blender or food processor, blend
the spinach and water together until completely smooth.
a. If the mixture clumps or stubbornly refuses to
blend, add more water as needed, 1T at a time
3. Strain if desired.
4. Let cool.
5. Store in an airtight container for up to 2 weeks in the
refrigerator.
6. Add 1 t to icings, frostings, or batter for starters to impart a
pink hue. Add more coloring if necessary
http://leitesculinaria.com/96672/recipes-
natural-food-coloring.html
Page 7

8. Food Coloring Technique #4
Source Instructions
Pink
To make pink frosting,
mix ¼ t beet juice with 2T
frosting.
(I just used the juice from a can
of beets.)
Author: Itsy Bitsy Foodies
Recipe type: Dessert
Prep time: 15 mins
Total time: 15 mins
Coloring frosting with natural dyes is easy. I know what you're
thinking: spinach or beet juice in my buttercream frosting?! Yuck!
But you will be amazed at how you don't even taste them,
especially with the small quantities being used.
Ingredients
 3 ¾ cups powdered sugar
 ½ cup butter, softened
 1 tsp vanilla
 3 Tbsp milk
 Beet juice
 Grape juice concentrate
 Spinach juice
 Carrot juice
Instructions
1. Cream the powdered sugar, butter, vanilla and milk until a smooth
frosting forms.
2. Divide the frosting into separate bowls to make the different colors.
3. Adding the fruit/veggie juices will affect the consistency of the frosting
so you can add more powdered sugar or reduce the amount of milk to
compensate for the added liquid.
4. I made small quantities for experimental purposes but you can use
the following ratios for any batch size.
5. You can also change the shade of color by adjusting the amount of
fruit/veggie juice.
6. To make pink frosting, mix ¼ tsp beet juice with 2 Tbsp frosting. (I
just used the juice from a can of beets.)
7. To make purple frosting, mix ¼ tsp grape juice concentrate with 2
Tbsp frosting. (*Make sure that the brand of juice you use doesn't add
food coloring!)
8. To make green frosting, mix ½ tsp spinach juice with 2 Tbsp frosting.
9. To make orange frosting, mix ½ tsp carrot juice with 2 Tbsp frosting.
Purple
To make purple frosting,
mix ¼ t grape juice
concentrate with 2T
frosting.
(Make sure that the brand of juice
you use doesn’t add food
coloring!)
Green
To make green frosting,
mix ½ t spinach juice with
2T frosting
Orange
To make orange frosting,
mix ½ t carrot juice with
2T frosting
http://itsybitsyfoodies.com/natural-buttercream-frosting-dyes/
Page 8

9. Making Decisions About
Food Coloring
http://homecooking.about.com/od/foodhistory/a/foodcolorhist
ry.htm/
Was food coloring used by ancient
civilizations? If so name 3 examples
What is commercial food coloring
made of?
https://drive.google.com/a/fcpsschools.net/file/d/0BzMHV6p4v
yDVcTIxS3lDTlhsLUU/view?usp=sharing
Is food coloring safe for me to eat?
Why/why not?
http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2010/07/popular-food-dyes-
linked-to-cancer-adhd-and-allergies/#.VWNuVNJViko
Page 9

10. Given what you have learned
about food coloring, would
you serve this food to your
little brother/sister?
If not, what is a viable
alternative to this snack?
http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-
lifestyle/childrens-health/in-depth/nutrition-for-
kids/art-20049335
Page 10