Combine that with misleading labels and massive advertising budgets of ready meals and it's easy to understand how people fall into the trap.
I grew up in poor Appalachia. Every single person I knew, understood perfectly well how to use a shopping list, and how to cook. I simply can't imagine who these people are that don't know such things, given my comparison group is in theory low on the education chart.
I just assumed everyone knew how to cook at least basic things because that was how I was raised. He was raised with his mom doing everything for him, so after graduating (meal plans in college meant no need to cook), he literally could barely make toast. For the first 6 months after living together, his dinner usually came from Burger King.
Now I find that people my age (late 40's) and older are often the same way. Somehow they've managed to spend their entire lives eating takeout or microwaved meals.
In my single days, I managed to impress any number of women simply because I made them home-cooked meals. Insane, but true.
It wasn't so long ago that the second one went in (and that was at least partly to capture foot traffic from the high school).
http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4sylQahxyepBiKD1V7VPk...
if you walk into a any grocery store, there's fresh/unprocessed meat, poultry, eggs, fish, vegetables, fruit everywhere. you don't need to buy anything that comes in a box or wrapped in plastic or has added sugar or salt or anything.
you don't need to eat anything beyond that selection to be healthy. whether or not you want to go through the trouble of preparing it is another matter.