Pudding was certainly a regular thing at home, but I don't know how my mother made it. Probably from the packages. To the best of my memory, I always liked it, but I might have occasionally found it a bit boring.
At one point years later, I liked eating it out of those ready-to-eat containers.
I'll be happy to join BK's army. I do remember it being a regular item at restaurants and coffee shops, and a big YEA to the rice pudding, too. Love it.