The content of fish and beef in those fish sticks/burgers is relatively low, the rest is just fillers which I don't think you took into account at all..

All due respect I don't think you've been poor. They don't care if it has fillers. They want a full stomach. They're going to optimize for the cheapest ways to fill those calories. You know what's subsidized? It's not the fresh fruit or veggies. Even my middle class friends in sleepy Colorado Springs didn't know what a proper home cooked meal was until they came over to my house. Some were even astonished we ate meals together as a family consistently rather than send everyone to their own rooms with TV dinner trays.

Those kids that didn't grow up with cooked meals are very unlikely to cook for themselves or their own eventual children. They're going to stick to 90 second rice pouches, ramen packs, mac n cheese, "salad kits". I can tell you right now a Kraft Mac n cheese cup is cheaper than what I would spend on pasta & the cheeses to make a roux. Easier to prepare, too.

I don't see people in Walmart buying produce. If they wanted that they'd go to one of the Latino grocery stores or the farmer market. If they wanted pantry staples (flour, bread, eggs, milk) they generally go to Costco. Who goes to Walmart to buy anything fresh?

> All due respect I don't think you've been poor. They don't care if it has fillers. They want a full stomach.

All I'm saying is just that buying the components separately would probably be cheaper and result in a healthier meal.

But yeah you're right about many people not liking to cook due to lack of time or other reasons.

> I don't see people in Walmart buying produce

Well they wouldn't sell if people didn't buy it. I do see your point of course.

So what you're saying is completely obvious, I don't understand what you're arguing against.