That's all well and good if you live somewhere that such activities can actually be done. Realism for a lot of people doesn't include space for a couple of flower pots, much less a garden. Many items are dependent on a certain environment. Some locations are entirely unsuitable for growing all but a very few things.
We have 2 acres here on our island in paradise, yet so far we have only found a half dozen things which can be grown here because we are situated on a sand dune, 30 feet above the Atlantic Ocean, with the Trade Winds blowing salt air off the water about 3/4 of the time. As a result, the sandy soil is salt impregnated, and most common veggies won't grow in it. Peppers, basil, rosemary, sweet potatoes are the most likely things we can grow here. On parts of the island farther from the water they grow quite a bit of produce, but we are fairly limited. For that reason, transporting produce is essential if you want any kind of variety.
But I agree that there is really no excuse for not learning how to cook basic foods. My mother started us cooking back in the 50's when most men didn't even consider it. That introduction has stood me in good stead my whole life, and in the last 20 years I've improved on what I learned from her. I may not be a classically trained chef, but I did take a month long class on the classic essentials at a fairly good cooking school in Denver. I'm no wizard, but I'm fairly comfortable in the kitchen.