The colonial New England diet was limited to the products of a short growing season and rocky terrain. This meant that harvests of fresh fruits and vegetables were limited. Corn was a staple grain and was used for foods such as cornbread, johnnycakes, corn chowder, and even popcorn. The residents of Salem would also have had access to bread made from wheat and rye and maybe even some rice from the southern colonies. Baked beans and brown bread was a popular Sunday meal since it could be prepared ahead of time. This meant that they did not have to engage in the labor of cooking during on the Sabbath.

During the Autumn harvest, the Puritans of Salem would have had fresh fruits and vegetables such as apples, lettuce, carrots, and squash. They may have gathered mushrooms from the forest during this time as well. During the summer, they likely foraged for wild berries.

Wild game was abundant and the people of Salem would have hunted and trapped wild turkey, deer, grouse, and rabbits as a year-round source of protein. Salem is also located off some of the most prosperous fishing grounds known at the time. Fresh and salted cod made up a large part of their diet.

It is known that New England colonists kept sheep and dairy cows. They would have used the milk from these animals to make butter and cheeses.

All told, the Puritans preferred very simple foods with few added flavors, seasonings, and garnishes. Eating was seen as a purely practical matter, much like most other activities that they engaged in.

Act 2 is set within John and Elizabeth Proctor's home, and she specifically references the food that they eat. When the scene begins, she has prepared a rabbit stew; this includes a rabbit which happened to hop into her house, as well as, we might imagine, some root vegetables that could grow on her family's farm. New England, in the summer, would likely produce a rich variety of fruits and vegetables, but winters were harsh and would supply a much more limited assortment. Elizabeth also tells Mary Warren to bake bread the morning after Elizabeth is arrested for witchcraft. Bread would have been a staple of most people's diets, and they would likely eaten whatever meat available (just as Elizabeth made the most of the rabbit when she had the chance).