OXNARD, Calif. — Shopping for Thanksgiving groceries might be just as special as eating the meal itself, but the list of dinner ingredients this year may look smaller than usual.

Oxnard resident Marguerite Lambrinos has a new motto in mind: quality over quantity. As Ventura County faces the possibility of another shutdown, she feels keeping things simple for the holidays is the safest bet.

“I’m not happy about it, but I kind of expected it because I listened to the scientists, and they said this would be a very bad time, with the winter and all the holidays coming up,” said Lambrinos.

Last year, she shopped for a large gathering at her home and invited her family from the east coast. This year, in the midst of a pandemic, she is shopping just for two: her son and herself.

"When I was younger, I would spend all day cooking and cooking, and I never really got to sit down and talk to the people I love," she said. "So that’s my feelings this year."

This year, she is opting out of the traditional turkey option on Thanksgiving and purchasing a few simple ingredients for a pasta dinner.

On Monday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom announced that Ventura County is moving back into the purple tier of California's coronavirus reopening roadmap.

"The largest number of cases that we are seeing is in gatherings, especially in larger gatherings," said Rigoberto Vargas, director of Ventura County Public Health. "I really urge every Ventura County resident to think twice about the impact of your actions."

Lambrinos says she doesn’t mind the temporary changes.

"We are really changing Thanksgiving this year for the better of everybody," she said. "You have to think about your fellow citizen. Wearing a mask, you’re actually doing it for other people.”

While she isn’t preparing for a large crowd of people this Thanksgiving, Lambrinos is hoping the sacrifices will protect her and her loved ones for years to come.