2 year old will only eat snacks!

[MSDSMC]

I feel like I’ve tried everything, she will only eat snacks, I’ve tried letting her just help herself in and out of the high chair I’ve refused to let her out of the high chair until she ate I just don’t know what I’m supposed to do! She’ll have a phase of eating anything I give her but then she’s straight back to snacks after a couple of days

Just don't give her snacks?

Sounds like it's a battle for control - you show her that it's something you care about, so she realises she can get a reaction from you by refusing to eat. My 2yo was like this with toilet training. What worked for me was handing over control to him and doing my best not to react.

In your case, I'd personally cut the snacks, serve meals which she's eaten before, then act like you don't care whether she eats or not - but you will eat whether or not she does... She can choose to come to the table and eat or not eat and stay hungry, and she can choose however much she wants of whatever is on the table, but she won't get a snack instead if she chooses not to eat.

NB this exactly worked with my now 3yo at lunchtime - he was angry and hungry and threw the bread as it wasn't exactly what he wanted. I said it was fine not to eat but not fine to throw food, and just lifted him down from his chair. I sat down to eat my soup while he flounced around the room, then eventually he quietly came up to me, asked for soup, and dipped the previously rejected bread into it...

How are you getting on now @MSDSMC? Have you tried doing what please suggested?