For a decade, the Guardian’s How to eat column has been patiently and infuriatingly laying down the law on everything from baked beans to avocado on toast. As the series draws to a close, its creator explains what it’s taught him

This month, we dive into a European salad that went global after the Americans added mayo. But why is cheese a no-no? And should you be punished for popping in pineapple?

This month, How to Eat is considering cookies. Can you ever dunk them? Why would you marry them with ice-cream? And is marshmallow, white chocolate or Twix the worst thing you can embed in this beast of a biscuit?

This month, in a seasonal special, How to Eat is mulling sprouts. Should you eat them naked? Do they work in pasta bakes? And is there any excuse for sweetening them with fruit or drowning them in stilton?

This month, How to Eat is grazing at a meat board. Should it contain cheese? Is there a place for ‘soft charcuterie’? Can that board ever be a plate or slate?

This month How to Eat deep-dives into chocolate pots – is mousse or cream better? Flake or Freddo? And why does spoon technique matter?

This month, How to Eat is ordering loaded fries. Is this a meal or a side? Which chips best defy the sogginess? And is it ever possible to have too much cheese?

This month, How to Eat is licking a summer classic into shape. Are waffle cones worth it? Can you really walk and eat ice-cream? And are chocolate toppings a bit flakey?

This month, How to Eat chews over an Italian classic. Does it demand stale bread? Can you freestyle the ingredients? And how wise is a communal serve?

This month, How to Eat is digging into the chocolate spread. Is it best on croissants, pancakes or ice-cream? Why does it bang with bananas? And could the connoisseurs’ serve be straight from the jar?

This month, we tackle a breakaway brunch hit. Does it need toast? Fresh herbs? And could any imaginative twist improve its symphony of eggs and tomato?

It is the simplest of comfort foods, but does the strawberry topping deserve its popularity? Which bread is best? And how should we punish those who get butter in the jar?

This month, we dig into a Britalian classic. Should the sauce be dolloped on top or stirred through? Can you crown it with parmesan? And do chips have a place?

This month, we are heating up an English classic. But should it be served with chips or mash? Under a lid or in a pastry casing? And where does veg fit in?

This month, the tuna melt gets a grilling. Can it ever be microwaved? Are cranberries and pistachios ingredients too far? Should we look beyond mature cheddar for the topping?

This month, How to Eat tackles that most autumnal of eggs. Are they best on toast, crumpet or potato waffle? With hot sauce, parmesan or bacon? Or do you monastically eat them au naturel?

This month, How to Eat is going deep on the ultimate dip. But should it be eaten with tortilla chips or celery, crackers or carrots? And is it ever wise to bulk-out a burrito with guacamole?

This month, How to Eat is chewing over the chip butty. Or should that be chip barm? And what – if anything – should you add to it?

This month, How to Eat is tackling the pasta salad. Is mayonnaise ever an acceptable dressing? Should you ever opt for shop-bought? And is eating it ‘al desko’ a big part of the problem?