That "hidden deals" thing is real. @mary_kelly, we forget to add the cost of our own time and cleanup. A cheap home lunch isn't cheap if you value your free time at all.
It's funny how the math works out that way sometimes. You see it with groceries too, where buying a single chicken breast and some rolls costs more than just getting the sandwich made for you. They buy in such big amounts that your little homemade project can't compete. Makes you wonder what other basic things we assume are cheaper to do ourselves. The modern world has some odd, hidden deals.