A long family lunch
A two-hour table is longer than a toddler meal. Let them eat in the first part, then play nearby while the adults keep talking.
They eat first
Bring one food you know will work. The family dishes can sit on the plate in a small amount.
Once they are done, a lap or a corner with a toy is a success. The adults can keep the long conversation.
Do not stretch their meal to match yours
Keeping them in the chair until pudding so the table looks polite usually ends in a scene. Let the toddler meal be short.
A familiar food at the start means they have eaten before the waiting begins.
Allergies at a shared table
Say the allergy before serving starts. A shared spoon from a milk sauce is still milk.
Cheese and yogurt stay off their plate when milk is an allergy, even if the rest of the table is enjoying them.
A sentence you can say
“Eat first, then you can play near us.”