During the cold of winter, we are drawn to heavy coats and sweaters and hot comfort foods like chili, pasta, potatoes and casseroles with gravy and creamy sauces.

While the weather may still be cold as spring is arriving, we can turn to lighter sweaters and rain jackets. Even on rainy days, our meals can lighten up as well. We can look for new spring casserole recipes and adjust our ingredients to add more vegetables in our soups.

Lower-income individuals often have access to less expensive food options that are lower in nutritional value. Let’s take a look at some tips to increase the quality of our diets that everyone can try.

We should always aim to include additional servings of fruits and vegetables to every meal. If access or the expense prevents you from fresh produce, canned and frozen items can be used with the same benefits. Canned and frozen items are picked at peak freshness and are typically frozen within hours. They contain the same vitamins and minerals as fresh products and are usually more affordable and have a longer shelf life.

When choosing frozen or canned fruits or vegetables, look for the product to be as natural as possible. The ingredients are listed with those used in greatest amounts listed first, followed by those in smaller amounts. Look for the ingredients to be simple, without added salt or sugar, sauces or syrups. You can add your own salt or seasoning at the table if you prefer.

When reviewing the nutrition facts label on canned fruits, focus on the added sugar, not total sugar, since fruit has some natural sugar. This information could be listed on the front of the label, using words like “canned in water, 100% fruit juice, light or heavy syrup.”

Fruits in 100% juice are better than those in syrups. Look at the nutrition facts for the daily value to be near 5% or less in added sugar. This is considered a low source of added sugar. A DV of 20% or more is a high source of added sugar.

When shopping for canned or frozen vegetables, look for lower sodium or unsalted options. A label that says 5% DV or less per serving is considered low, and 20% is considered high.

Pick low-fat meats and dairy. Chicken and turkey are leaner than beef. Canned tuna and salmon are proteins that contain healthier fats, as well as nuts and nut butters. Low-sodium beans are also a good protein choice.

In the dairy section, choose low-fat or reduced-fat milk and yogurt, and again watch for added sugar content in yogurt. Soy milk is the best alternative to cow’s milk if needed.

When shopping for grains and bread, try to choose whole grains and higher fiber. The words whole grain, such as whole wheat, may be listed as the first ingredient. The label may also include the 100% whole-grain symbol. Products that have a DV of 10-19% are considered a good source of fiber, but a DV of 20% or more is high in fiber.

Some ways to improve pantry staples include rinsing canned items to remove excess salt or sugar, draining fat from beef or pork after cooking, trimming fat before cooking or cooking chicken with skin on and removing the skin before eating and adding vegetables to pasta, soups or casseroles to increase nutrients in the dish.

Healthy items that are almost always available at our Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative Food Pantry are peanut butter, nuts, canned vegetables, canned or dried fruits, pasta sauce, pasta, potatoes, whole-grain cereal and rice.

Recipes are often available for our pantry guests, and there are many websites to help.

WCHI’s healthy pantry initiative is a project of Feeding Pennsylvania in partnership with the Pennsylvania Department of Health. Feeding Pennsylvania works with member food banks to increase access to healthy foods within our pantries and to increase consumption of healthy food by pantry clients through various promotion methods.

The long-term goal is to reduce the burden of disease and increase the quality of life for Pennsylvanians who use food support systems.

Editor’s note: This column was written by Jenn Dietz, Whitehall-Coplay Hunger Initiative healthy pantry initiative chair.