CHARLESTON, W.Va. -- Bread served with a meal can be loaded with calories and carbohydrates that may wreck your eating-plan budget. Here's a guide when dining out to make smart choices and keep your portions in check.

I was relieved to see that Red Lobster biscuits, Olive Garden and Outback Steakhouse breads were in the low-cal, better-numbers bracket.

The following aren't the only restaurants that may qualify as having wholesome breads. They were the ones in the survey that I saw.

Low-calorie

• Outback Steakhouse honey wheat bread (1/4 loaf): 78 calories, 1 gram fat, 16 carbs
• Olive Garden garlic breadstick (1): 140 calories, 15 grams fat, 26 carbs
• Panera asiago focaccia (2-ounce wedge): 160 calories, 6 grams fat, 21 carbs
• Red Lobster Cheddar biscuit (1): 160 calories, 9 grams fat, 17 carbs

Medium-calorie

• Pizza Hut cheesy garlic breadstick (1): 180 calories, 7 grams fat, 20 carbs
• Panera sourdough roll (1): 200 calories; 1 gram fat; 39 carbs

High-calorie

• Panera butter croissant (2-ounce croissant): 230 calories, 12 grams fat; 26 carbs

Count on taste

Burger King wants you to "count calories without counting out taste" and provided this information and these dining suggestions:

400 calories: Tendergrill garden salad; light Italian dressing, fresh apple fries with low-fat caramel sauce and water

415 calories: Ham, egg and cheese Croissan'Wich; fresh apple fries with low-fat caramel sauce; 20-ounce BK Joe

480 calories: Tendergrill chicken sandwich, no mayonnaise; side salad with fat-free dressing; 16-ounce diet drink

490 calories: Whopper Jr., value-size onion rings and 16-ounce diet drink

Tasty trio

Back home again from the restaurant tour, because I started this column with bread, I thought we would end with a bread recipe -- sort of.

This one is a little treat for all the bread pudding lovers. It doesn't have much added sugar, because the apples and cinnamon bread are both sweet to begin with. Top it warm from the oven with a small scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Although the ingredients hint of autumn, apples, walnuts and cinnamon are good any time of year. We've already heard how good the trio is for us.

Apple Walnut Bread Pudding

Makes 9 servings.

     1     tablespoon butter or buttery spread

     3    cups peeled, thinly sliced apples

     1/2     teaspoon apple pie spice

     4     slices Pepperidge Farm cinnamon bread, cubed (see note)

     3    eggs or 3/4 cup Eggbeaters

     1/2  cup milk or fat-free half and half

     1     tablespoon sugar

     1     teaspoon vanilla

     1/4  cup chopped walnuts

Note: Pepperidge Farm makes a whole-wheat cinnamon-raisin bread.

MELT butter in skillet; add apples and spice; sauté until apples are tender, about 5 minutes, not allowing apples to brown.

SPREAD apples evenly in 8-inch baking dish; top with bread cubes.

WHISK eggs, milk, sugar and vanilla; pour evenly over bread cubes, pressing down gently to soak bread in liquid; sprinkle with walnuts.

BAKE at 350° 20 to 25 minutes or until set; serve warm.

Nutrition information: Per 1/9 recipe: 110 calories, 45 calories from fat, 5 grams fat, 1 gram saturated fat, 70 milligrams cholesterol, 100 milligrams sodium, 13 grams carbohydrates, less than 1 gram fiber, 4 grams protein.

Reach Judy Grigoraci at ...@suddenlink.net.