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It might be that she eats better that way...I've had to adjust my perspective about toddler eating since my son turned 18 months old.

I am not saying that it's got to be all snack type food, but possibly smaller meals offered more frequently.

Yes, I know, I don't subscribe to the idea that you should let them go to bed hungry either, and when he asks for something to eat, we give him two choices...it seems to let him feel like he's in control, which is the major reason for my son's behaviour.

eta: deconstructing the meal and offering it on a snack type tray may also work for you...again, about the control.

I actually hardly do mid-morning snacks b/c we are late risers. Sometimes don't even do late afternoon snacks when my boys nap for longer. It just makes eating proper meals harder. My youngest hasn't been wanting to sit in his high chair to eat lately but I still make him do it even if it's a struggle to get him in there. He wants to eat but just doesn't want to sit b/c he doesn't want to miss out on playing. I'd say it's just a phase. For me, I just can't have one toddler sitting while the other is running around to be fed. I tried it a couple of times and it just doesn't work for me. "I" end up not eating until really late (10am for bfast and 2-3pm for lunch!) and then I get cranky too.

Hmm. I don't have a good answer to this but I am curious about how people handle it. My lo has just started pushing away from her high chair when she's close to done with dinner but then wants to get on my lap and eat. I've also noticed at daycare, she gets there and immediately points at the chairs, like she wants snack time already. Haha.

I think it's a phase but with every phase I believe it's good to not establish new undesirable habits...or else they may expect a new kind of normal.

Just wondering if you guys eat at the table together? I've heard that's the #1 thing that helps establish better eating habits. Try to include her in the dinner conversation and make a big deal about what you are serving for dinner and talk about the food together. My LO eats better when we're all enjoying the food and we say things like "dada big broccoli" and "LO big broccoli" then we look for small items of food etc

Have tried giving her a toy that she just gets in the car to distract during the drive home? Or giving her a non filling snack such as rice puffs/crackers. Or give ger something that would be hard for her to get a lot of during the drive home - like a tiny apple...it takes my daughter forever to eat an apple bc she can only take little bites...they has tiny apples at Trader Joes.

I think it's normal for a toddler to be more interested in playing than sitting to eat and as their growth slows they eat leas. I think you're on the right track to limit snacking (or maybe even limit milk /juice intake since some kids drink their calories rather than eat them).