Depends if you're comparing like with like, surely?
At least here it is impossible to get say a prepared ready meal curry or shepherd's pie that works out anywhere near as cheap as cooking it yourself. Especially once you've allowed for portion sizes and the 5kg of potatoes, the carrots and onions covering other meals as well. Ready meals appear to only offer time.
I can probably find something that works out cheaper - noodles, unpleasant budget range 50p pizzas maybe. Tinned macaroni cheese will indeed be cheaper, as it's incomparable with home made. Tinned curries etc work out much more than making your own.
You can definitely find certain items/dishes where it is cheaper to buy already made instead of making yourself - rotisserie chickens in the US are a perfect example of that. On the whole, though, cooking at home is less expensive than eating out.
At least here it is impossible to get say a prepared ready meal curry or shepherd's pie that works out anywhere near as cheap as cooking it yourself. Especially once you've allowed for portion sizes and the 5kg of potatoes, the carrots and onions covering other meals as well. Ready meals appear to only offer time.
I can probably find something that works out cheaper - noodles, unpleasant budget range 50p pizzas maybe. Tinned macaroni cheese will indeed be cheaper, as it's incomparable with home made. Tinned curries etc work out much more than making your own.