How to Raise a FoodieThe Our365 Editors talk to Matthew Amster-Burton When Matthew Amster-Burton's baby, Iris, was 6 1/2 months, she suddenly became very interested in what was on her parents' plates. Papa, a food writer and stay-at-home dad, didn't particularly want his daughter's first taste of solid food to be bland cereal; instead, he peeled some fresh fruit and mashed it to a pulp. Next up: nibbles of whatever was on the family table. Within a couple of months, Iris and her dad were sharing tasty dishes like Chicken and Mushrooms (see recipes). Forget about introducing solids food by food!Some experts say that you can avoid raising a picky eater by raising an adventurous one. Matthew isn't so sure ("Parents should not hold themselves responsible for whether their baby is a picky eater," he says. "Let yourself off the hook."). For him, sharing the food he loves with his baby is simply a way to enjoy her."Food is an opportunity to have fun sharing something with your baby," Matthew says. It's something my daughter and I can enjoy in the same way and on the same level - it tastes good to both of us, and so we're enjoying the same experience. Parents need to figure out where they'll connect with their kids; it could be music or sports, but food is in its own special category. You're both going to have to eat anyway, and having fun with it keeps it from becoming a chore. "According to Matthew, the best time to start giving your baby everything you love to eat is at the very beginning. We asked him to tell us more - and to share some recipes!Were you ever worried about going against popular wisdom on babies and solids?[Feeding authority] Ellyn Satter's book Child of Mine reassured me that our approach was okay. And Iris was helpful because she enjoyed all the things we fed her. Also, she exclusively breastfed until she was 6 months and then was still getting breast milk and formula afterward, which helped us feel good - we knew that that until age 1 the core of her diet was breast milk and formula. The only thing I worried about was choking hazards. Anything we shared with her, we chopped very fine. What about allergies and condiments like salt and spices?The allergen thing is a popular myth - there was an American Pediatric Association recommendation for a long time to avoid nuts and shellfish, but that was reviewed last year and the APA now says it's okay to start your baby on these beginning at 6 months. Serving them won't provoke an allergy. Salt is an issue for babies too young to be eating solids - they have a lot of trouble metabolizing salt until they're 4 or 6 months. After that it's fine. Babies love spicy foods just as they like brightly colored things - they don't like bland. [Editor's note: Reactions to allergens can be severe and potentially life-threatening. That doesn't mean you shouldn't expose your baby - in fact, early exposure might protect children from allergies - but plan the exposure and be prepared, just in case. For more, click here.]Next: Top tips for raising a foodieThis information is not a substitute for personal medical, psychiatric or psychological advice.