Why Does the Host Taste Like Cardboard

[Era Might]

I've never seen this addressed. You go to a Catholic church and find pretty colors, nice-smelling incense, chant, etc....but when it comes to the host it tastes like cardboard. Isn't this an aesthetic failure...maybe the restoration of the chalice to the laity has at least moved in a better direction. How can you taste and see that the Lord is good when he tastes like cardboard and is mass manufactured in wafers. There's something to say for real-tasting and looking bread, no?

Edited May 28, 2016 by Era Might

[MIKolbe]

no

[Era Might]

47 minutes ago, MIKolbe said:

no

Entonce?

[AveMariaPurissima]

This past year I was a teacher's aide for 2nd grade catechism.  One of the things we did with the kids in class to help prepare them for their 1st Communions was to have them practice receiving Communion on the tongue (as is customary in our parish) using unconsecrated hosts.  The kids had some interesting reactions...my favorite was one child's description, "First it's like cardboard, then it's like paper, then it's like tissue, then you swallow it." 

[Era Might]

25 minutes ago, AveMariaPurissima said:

This past year I was a teacher's aide for 2nd grade catechism.  One of the things we did with the kids in class to help prepare them for their 1st Communions was to have them practice receiving Communion on the tongue (as is customary in our parish) using unconsecrated hosts.  The kids had some interesting reactions...my favorite was one child's description, "First it's like cardboard, then it's like paper, then it's like tissue, then you swallow it." 

Lol. I believe the Orthodox don't use hosts, still real bread.

[DominicanHeart]

2 hours ago, AveMariaPurissima said:

This past year I was a teacher's aide for 2nd grade catechism.  One of the things we did with the kids in class to help prepare them for their 1st Communions was to have them practice receiving Communion on the tongue (as is customary in our parish) using unconsecrated hosts.  The kids had some interesting reactions...my favorite was one child's description, "First it's like cardboard, then it's like paper, then it's like tissue, then you swallow it." 

I remember my reactions when I made my First Holy Communion. I had no idea what it would be like until the day of 

[Anomaly]

I've eaten lots of unconcencrated hosts as an acolyte in the 60's and 70's.   We ate the broken, chipped, and blemished wafers. It's unleavened bread.   There isn't much choice of flavors which was the point.    The Jews were in a rush and didn't have a lot for the Exodus.  I don't think they had "real bread" either.   I would think also, they use as few ingredients as possible to avoid allergic reactions or strong flavors.  They do make them in white wheat and whole wheat which has flavor.  

Edited May 29, 2016 by Anomaly

[Anomaly]

Though I'm sure some were saying:

All this manna, dropping a little lox and a schmear would be so difficult?

[Not A Real Name]

You welcome cardboard after you've practiced with necco wafers. 

[IgnatiusofLoyola]

The Jewish people have celebrated Passover by eating unleavened bread for thousands of years. As I understand it, the Last Supper was a Passover meal, so they, too, ate unleavened bread.

Nowadays the unleavened bread eaten at Passover (but available all year) is called matzo bread, and I'd classify it as an acquired taste. I happen to like it, because all my life I have ended up in neighborhoods with a lot of Jewish people, so I've been eating it since I was a child.

But it IS bland.

Note: I don't know if the matzo of today is the same as the unleavened bread in Jesus' time, but I expect the unleavened bread of Jesus' time was also bland, on purpose, to remember the hardships and sacrifices the Jewish people made in the Exodus. 

Jewish culture, at least what I know of it, celebrates the goodness of God, while never forgetting bitter times such as the Exodus and the destruction of the Temple. The Psalms are a perfect example of this. They alternate and combine praise of God with heartfelt pleas for mercy and forgiveness, and remembrance of the the times of the Exile and sadness.

So, in the Eucharist, there is simultaneously the blandness of the bread (remembering the Exodus and the Last Supper), and the joy of being given the gift to partake of the body of Christ. Similarly, wine is a celebration of the richness of the Earth, yet simultaneously the Blood of Christ. and his sacrifices for us.

Note: What I've just written is not taken from anything I've ever read, just thoughts that came to me. So take it for what it is worth, and ignore it if it is not helpful or is incorrect theologically or historically.

Edited May 29, 2016 by IgnatiusofLoyola

[DominicanHeart]

It's Jesus. That's what matters most.

[truthfinder]

Because of this thread, I actually made note today. I wouldn't classify the host as cardboard - if it is, the hosts may actually be stale and father should really get around to replacing them.  Also, you'll get the thinner almost melt on your tongue hosts or thicker made with whole wheat ones - these have very different tastes. 

[PhuturePriest]

I honestly really love the taste of wafers. Then again, I love bread in general, and I particularly like plain tastes (For example, my favorite vegetable is cucumber.)

[DominicanHeart]

We have a number of people in my Parish who have a gluten allergy and we have gluten free hosts for them. I wonder if they taste any different 

[Nihil Obstat]

33 minutes ago, DominicanHeart said:

We have a number of people in my Parish who have a gluten allergy and we have gluten free hosts for them. I wonder if they taste any different 

Gluten free hosts are invalid matter, but they may be very low gluten.