One should not underestimate the extent to which stress, depression, and anxiety can make us crave comfort food, and rob the energy to do things like cook your own meals. Especially if you're a working poor and already tired when you get home.
Eat junk -> Feel like crap, low energy -> Eat more junk
Not a good long term strategy. There are widely available low cost foods that can help break that loop. Rice, beans, eggs, frozen vegetables... In fact frozen vegetables are often more nutritious than non-frozen, unless you're eating close enough to picking time.
Put a bunch of effort into making good food -> Feel like crap
Seems obvious what I pick.
That's exactly the point. When you're poor, you don't have the luxury of considering a long term strategy.
That's exactly the point. You don't break out of those just by deciding one day to be rational.
Don't bend over backwards to excuse people of personal responsibility.