Updated 11/28/12

Gluten-Free Treats:  These items are NOT Paleo. However, if you need a sugary treat and want to avoid gluten here are some suggestions: Starry Night Bakery (330 One Forty Village Road  Westminster, MD) sells gluten free cupcakes (chocolate or vanilla). They don’t have them in the case, you have to ask for them.  CUP Tea Bar & Cafe (7 East Main Street, Westminster, MD) usually has at least one gluten-free treat each day. CUP is owned by Gypsy’s Tearoom (111 Stoner Avenue, Wesminster, MD) which now has a gluten-free menu. Gypsy’s is a cool little Tearoom and is a fun place to bring guests or go to when you’re playing hookey from work.  One last recommendation is Patti Cakes Bakery. They set up at the farmer’s market at the Westminster Ag center (706 Agriculture Center, Westminster, MD) quite frequently and every week during the holiday season.  She’s brings different things from week to week and accepts orders in advance for pick-up.  Just drop her an email for more information at patticakesgf@gmail.com.

Fast Food Chains: Five guys (596 Jermor Lane, Westminster, MD): the burgers are 100% beef with no fillers and you get any toppings you want free (Paleo ones would include grilled mushrooms, grilled or raw onions, lettuce, tomato, green peppers, jalapeno peppers, and maybe mustard or mayo depending on how strict you are).  Order the burger without the bun for $5.89 and enjoy! Add the bacon for a little more cash and it’s extra delicious! Chipotle (631 Baltimore Boulevard #102, Westminster, MD): the carnitas are “naturally raised pork seasoned with thyme, bay, juniper berries and cracked black pepper” and contain no gluten or soybean ingredients. So, get the romaine lettuce topped with double meat carnitas, throw in a serving of the guacamole, and add your choice of the green tomatillo salsa or the fresh tomato salsa for a seriously Paleo meal that costs about $10. [Note: most all of the other items on their menu are not Paleo because they are cooked in soybean oil.]

Local and Fast: Giulianova Groceria (11 E. Main St, Westminster, MD): this place has excellent italian sausage, and during the spring & summer has pit beef that’s cheap and delicious.

Not on my list for Paleo Friendly: Paradiso’s: the food itself is tasty, but there is so little that I was starving after I ate. In general, most of the menu items have bread, potatoes, or pasta as the sides; so the selection is really limited. Another downside was that they had no caffeine-free hot beverages.