The harried life of the hard-working parent means some healthful sacrifices might have to be made in the name of convenience. However, more and more, single-serve snacks answer the call for healthful options for children and young people.

Musselman's, a brand under the Knouse Foods (Peach Glen, Pa.) stable, has completed its Healthy Snacking survey, which found 99% of moms with children under the age of 13 serve their families snacks that come in convenient, single-serve packages. Furthermore, two thirds of them report they serve their children healthy snacks daily or even more often.

What are the most important factors parents consider when selecting those snacks? “Taste, cost and convenience were considered somewhat or very important by over 90% of the moms we surveyed,” reports Bob Fisher, director of marketing for Knouse Foods. “We also found that over 80% felt nutritional value was important in selecting a snack, and over 60% felt reduced sugar was an important attribute.”

The survey was released in conjunction with Musselman's launch of Sesame Street Fruit Flavored Apple Sauces, which promise 25% less sugar than regular apple sauce. The line also is in keeping with Sesame Workshop's Health Habits for Life initiative, a program encouraging young children and their caregivers to develop healthy eating, exercise, hygiene and other habits to last a lifetime.

Sesame Street Apple Sauces make use of their namesake's featured characters, with such flavors as Elmo Cherry, Big Bird Green Apple and Cookie Monster Grape. They also are fortified with vitamin C and calcium.