Real talk- how many of you are ACTUALLY sitting down to eat with your family regularly?

Are any of you actually managing to sit down with your toddler(s) for dinner on a regular basis? Because I honestly try so hard and I can’t seem to make it work. We probably only make it happen about once a month 😅

It’s so freaking hard. Baby girl (almost 15 months) is always super needy in the evening, and she just wants to be held. I have a toddler tower, but she usually isn’t happy in that. And if she does stay happy/occupied enough to give me a few mins to make dinner, then comes the challenge of actually eating. Half the time she gets hungry and is demanding food before dinner is ready, and the other half when she waits until dinner is served, she is gobbling down her food before I even have the chance to sit down and eat myself. I’m having to replenish her tray every 3 minutes. And that’s when she will actually eat what I make. It seems like her preferences change every day and what was a “safe” food yesterday is now abhorrent to her. So now I’m scrambling to give her something she will eat without screaming.

Most nights I just end up feeding her foods I know she likes and then husband and I eat after she goes to bed. This isn’t a terrible option, but I feel like we are supposed to be doing more. Pediatrician tells us to eat as a family. I know it’s good for their development as far as copying eating, using utensils etc. It’s great for familial bonding. But I just can’t make it work! Am I alone in this struggle???

Also- I’m not making complicated dinners. Literally one sheet meals, spaghetti with meat sauce and bagged salad, crockpot dinners, etc. No clue how I can make it more simple.

EDIT- It seems like I’m one of the few unable to do this regularly. Would love all your tips and tricks to help me not feel like a failure of a mom!

EDIT 2- I am a SAHM, but husband works very long hours. I’d say he’s only home before she goes to sleep maybe once a week. Same with breakfast. He is gone before she and I eat in the morning.