I think you should always try to eat some sort of meal to start your day, no matter how early that day begins. You also bike to work, so that's even more demanding than the beginning of many others' day. I'm no nutritionist, but it seems like you should eat breakfast, leave for work, and have a snack before starting work if you feel the need after the ride. You also have a wife that loves to cook and bake. This sounds like a great possible solution if she's fine with helping you out with this. Maybe she can make something great the night before so that you can just heat it up. It also helps that at least in my view, breakfast foods are among the cheapest. A big bowl of cereal in milk is nutritious and a cheap alternative to eating out. As for myself, I eat a large breakfast of cereal in milk, toast with fruit preserves, orange juice, a banana, some other fruit if available, and a cup of yogurt. It's my nice moment in the morning as I munch along while reading something at the table.