Thanksgiving thoughts needed asap

Happy Thanksgiving sleevers... early for our American friends, I know, but for us Canucks, Thanksgiving is this weekend.
As usual my sister is doing dinner and the rest of us siblings will all bring something along to add to the turkey, stuffing and mashed taters she'll be making. I know it will be a bit odd as this is my first big holiday since my sleeve nearly three months ago. 
Any suggestions for something I can take as a side dish that won't seem too weird to the rest of the family? And how have you vets gotten yourself successfully through the shoals and narrows of this annual eatathon?
The good news is my family members are all delighted with my progress and happy that the surgery went well so there won't be all the drama that I suspect some sleevers have to live through on such occasions. But I'd still like to feel like I'm fitting in but without doing any harm to my sleeve or weight loss program.
I just know there are those of you out there who have been there and done that and share some success strategies with the rest of us newbies.
So happy Turkey Day Canadians and for the Americans, yours is just a few weeks away.
Lynn
 

I treated this "off" day like this: no plate per se---just blt's (bites, licks & tastes) It would be easier to not overstuff little sleevie this way, and let's face it, who wants naseau or foamies. One day off won't make or break you, but just blt's and wait some time before blt's. Try to find a way to distract yourself with conversation, really catching up with what is going on in family's lives, or "anything I can do to help", like little straightening up, dishes, etc "just to help" is a good distraction away from the foodfest.

my favorite go to side dish is brocolli casserole....

layer brocolli.....then slice velvetta cheese on top of that.....then crumble some crackers on top (I plan on going extra light this year since VSG) and then slice butter on top. Bake in over till crackers are golden! =)

What about bringing a sugar-free version of dessert? Or maybe a really NICE veggie dish? (think roasted veggies with olive oil and garlic, or a spinach/cranberry/walnut salad? Or maybe roasted butternut squash/root vegetables?) I always (even as a pre-op) loved things like that in an otherwise junk-fest.

I'm sure I'll be in the minority here but here goes.  It's one day.  This will be the first year with my sleeve, however the last 2 years i celebrated Thanksgiving with my lap band and with people who didn't know i had surgery.  They were also the same people I've spent Thanksgiving with for the last 25 years.  I took a plate put a spoonful of everything on it and ate very slowly (never know what a band is going to do).  i didn't get through much but no one really noticed and if they did i just said i was leaving room for dessert.  I figure it's one day and i take it as an off day and go back to normal the following day.  With our sleeves guiding us it's not as if we can go too far off the track anyhow.  the one thing i made sure to do was not bring one thing home after any holiday get together so i can really keep it down to one day.  You could bring a green bean dish.  Either the Almondine or the green bean casserole with Campbells mushroom soup.  for me part of it was fitting in and not having people feel guilty about what they were eating in front of me also when i eat in my home or even in a restaurant i never feel deprived, thanksgiving is different than that because it's about more than food.  It's about traditions and family and community so I choose to take part in that in my limited way and feel as if i can.  hope that makes sense.

Happy Thanksgiving to you!  I agree, keep busy, and enjoy the company, but don't stress about the food.  You will need to concentrate on protein (turkey?) and have small amounts of sides. It is great that you don't have to cook the whole thing. I also think roasted root veggies would be lovely or the green beans with almonds are a good choice.
I am cooking the whole meal for Thanksgiving, but I am planning on using little dishes (for me) and maybe freezing sleeve size meals with some of the leftovers. I love the leftovers! 
If you plan ahead it will be a lovely day and pretty stress free!

I'd do some roasted green beans (the fresh kind) with chopped bacon and slivered almonds.

If they made protein shakes the taste like: TURKEY, STUFFING, CRANBERRY SAUCE, MASHED POTATOES, SWEET POTATOES, CORN, GREEN BEANS, ROLLS, PUMPKIN PIE life couldn't get any better.

 P.S.  Do you really think having a bite or two of whatever you want  is going to hurt?  I don't.  Know your limit and eat below them is my motto.

Stuffed mushroom caps are my fav to bring.. and on Tday I am likely to do what I do at friends big dinner parties (foodie with foodie friends, yay me).. If something is particularly tasty looking, I'll have a bite, along with my protein. Many things I can take a pass on, but I make the choice to have a bite of something special when I wi**** is literally a bite, as I don't have much room for any more than that with my protein.. and I'm a happy carnivore, so I tend to go for the meats (and cheeses) first anyway.. If I wish, there can always be a second nibble in a few hours too.