Vegan St. Patrick’s Day Guide

Homemade green food dye / Source

Green is the official color for St. Patrick’s Day.

Stores pack their shelves with green hats, glasses, beads, cups, and t-shirts. Bars serve up mugs of green beer and other green-hued cocktails. Grocery stores serve up green frosted cookies, cakes, and cupcakes with impossibly cute green sprinkles on top.

Green, green, everywhere you look. Generally speaking, these food and drinks get their colors from artificial food colors.

I am not a fan of artificial food colors.

These toxic chemicals masquerading as food are possible through the wonder of chemistry and the industry of oil drilling. Studies have shown various adverse health effects from ingesting them. Did you know that artificial food colors undergo animal testing to ensure their safety as a food additive?

It’s true.

Relatedly, animal testing can yield dangerous results when physicians treat patients using medicine based on the results of these studies.

Every time a holiday approaches, the artificial colors go on sale. Magazines, blogs, and videos feature impossibly cute and creative treats made with a variety of unnatural colors achieved through the magic of artificial colors.

There’s a better way; make bright, vivid colors at home.

Easy to make, homemade green food colors come from everyday ingredients found in your fridge or pantry. Trust me, it’s not complicated or expensive.

Click here for the full step-by-step homemade food coloring tutorial for a better, plant-powered rainbow.

Would you prefer to buy green vegan food dye? No problem.

Here are a few that are colored with vegetable juice or spices and contain no synthetic dyes.

Disclosure: These two options contain affiliate links I earn from qualifying purchases. See my Affiliate Policy for more details.

I picked up a few packets to test out on my favorite sugar cookies.

I’m a fan.

First, the colors come packaged in individual packets, which means I don’t over-buy. Second, the colors mix easily and create beautiful colors. I don’t even mind that they’re more pastel than bright. Lastly, they’re budget-friendly.

Here’s a 10-pack, Color Kitchen Food Colors from Nature, that makes a good starter pack.

By far, these colors are the cheapest and the most widely available. The powdered colors come in a pack of three colors which you can mix for a variety of colors.

I bought this McCormick Nature’s Inspiration Food Colors pack when I made these unicorn sugar cookies. Just look how vivid the colors turned out!