Thanksgiving

What is your strategy? Here's my plan, and I welcome suggestions. I'm not going to weigh or measure food at the table, so I'm working on doing accurate eye-measurements. 

Regular protein/morning schedule. I'm not cooking this year, and the plan is that dinner is at 1:30.

1. No hors d'oeuvres (this won't be hard, because my partner likes to avoid too much time with his family so we'll probably get there at 1)
2. Wine is easy to avoid, because I'm the driver
3. Turkey. I'll eat a little bit of white meat with gravy. 
4. Vegetables. I'll eat some of those.
5. Starchy sides. I'll put some very teensy portions on my plate and taste everything and then just move it around the plate
6. Dessert. I'll have a small bite of whatever my partner is having
7. I'll make all the bites super small so that I have time to know when I'm full
8. I will divert conversation toward the younglings (we gratefully just graduated out of that category with his family and are now old enough to not be that interesting or just starting out in life) and make them talk about their post college plans and fresh engagements
9. I will be a kitchen helper, but not overstep because I'm an objectively much better cook than my MIL
10. I will try to avoid being sent home with huge containers of leftovers. 

What's your plan?

I find Tday to be pretty easy overall. There are so many sides and choices, it makes it simple to select lean proteins and tasty veggies. I do usually do a bit of carb, but generally choose the sweet potatoes. I don't drink, and I do a piece of pie. Not bad (in maintenance though.) Where I ALWAYS struggle is the leftover dessert. If it is in the house I just can't stay out of it. My son is a scrawny 6'3'' so this year I can send some home with him. I am going to send more off with my sister to give to my brother who is forced to work at Walmart on the holiday. (OK, side vent- they are taking advantage of a cognitively impaired autistic man- he of all people needs his family time given it is hard to get us all together. Ok, vent over and NO! I will not be shopping at Walmart this year!)  Back to topic- keep all of the healthier leftovers and send out the desserts to in the trash. 

I'm Walmart-free and proud of it. Their labor practices offend me. 

Same for me!

I cook for Thanksgiving and my plan is fairly straightforward.  I put some dark turkey meat on my plate and then have a bite or two of each of the sides.  This works well for me :)  I don't take food that I'm not going to eat and everyone in my family knows my eating restrictions.  

I take a small portion of everything I want.  I start by eating all protein items first, then a bite or two of veggies, then save room for a bite of everything else.