I don't think 30 minutes preparing a meal is the same as having it done. It's really completely different... I'm not perfect at this either, and sometimes the tradeoff of 30 minutes to prepare something is too big and I just do something quicker (rarely prepared food, but I love bread with olive oil and cheese, so it feels great for me when I'm not in the mood for cooking.)

It all depends on how you value those 30 minutes. If there's something in TV you want to watch and will make you happier/more energetic, it probably is worth the extra cost prepared food has. If you are just watching some nonsense to disconnect your brain... Well, stirring a pot is also quite a zen experience, far better than most TV programs :D