>>21439178 (OP)>yea or nea?This is the kind of thing that you can make yourself with your own ingredients, with a good recipe, if you wish to do so and make it best.
They are "kits" meaning several packets, seasonings, toppings, etc. You do not have to drain the pasta as a separate step or dirty a different pot, but they cook right in the same skillet with your browned meat. The pasta is more porous or some kind of quick cooking version of pasta.
The rest of the world without imagination, will get these boxes for $1 on sale, or else BOGO sales. I think there may be some variants that have no existing shortcut for the packets, such as the sour cream powder that thickens like gravy mix within the Stroganoff version. It's been a long time, but that's all I remember. A box priced the same as a bag of pasta, is going to to be cheaper than a packet of au jus mix and a box of pasta, There used to be a decent fried rice flavor packet in one of them, as well.
My Mom never once bought this stuff. I bought it maybe 4x and it was really a rare thing to make one. I do however pull 1lb packages of frozen hamburger out of the freezer quite regularly to start dinner from the pantry, typically a chili, spaghetti or sloppy joe night.