I had the grandkids over on Sunday and, not for the first time, found myself trying to come up with creative new ways to get food into Alfie and Grace’s bellies.

With Grace, who has only recently made the transition to solids, I am a lot more relaxed. She’s bound to turn her nose up at some food at this stage, and as long as something gets down me and mum are less concerned.

However, with Alfie it’s a little more frustrating. He’s been eating a full range of food for many moons now, but has gone from an ‘eat anything’ to ‘eat nothing’ toddler in barely any time at all.

Of course, getting him to eat properly is not really my job. As the Gran, I’ll tow the parental line happily, but I try to steer clear of being too much of an authority when it comes to mealtimes. I spend too little time with them to want to make enemies, even for a short while.

I’d spent quite a while making a nice roast dinner – choosing the more familiar chicken rather than my preferred pork for Alfie’s sake. I’d also prepared a nice cheesecake which I’d left on the sideboard as a hidden ‘incentive’ for Alfie to eat.

This was probably my downfall. Not only did Alfie refuse to eat any “yucky burned” roast potatoes or “squishy green peas”, he barely touched his chicken either. I suspect Grace actually ate more than him, and she’s less than half his size!

Most interestingly, he didn’t take his eyes off the cheesecake for more than ten seconds throughout the whole meal. I had half a mind to move it back into the kitchen, and would have done if I didn’t think it would give him an excuse for a tantrum.

Once I’d cleared his plate away, having decided he was too full for any other food, he soon changed his tune. Not two minutes after cutting myself a slice of cheesecake, he regained his appetite and asked if he could “have some pudden”.

Should I have refused or not?