Using prepackaged food/mixes is how I learned to cook.
My mom usually worked overtime, and so would be at work from 6:00am to 5:00pm. She almost always worked on Saturdays. She always had anywhere between two and four kids to chase down. So she took any shortcut she could. I can't say I blame her.
Even now, I look for shortcuts when I cook - for example, the no-boil lasagne noodles that they make now - love 'em! I don't think I'd even worry about making it, otherwise. And when I make chicken pot pie, I use canned, mixed vegies. It saves a ton of time off all of that chopping.