I’ve identified 4 stages of the sandwich lifecycle:

• Identification: Wherein the need for a sandwich is identified, usually via hunger, but occasionally out of pure hedonism. This stage usually goes by very quickly (often while reading a menu) and doesn’t get much attention.
• Procurement: Wherein the tasty morsel is obtained, either through outright purchasing or by ingredient shopping and construction. This is the creative phase of the sandwich lifecycle: you can make any sandwich you want! The time taken in this stage will payback in spades in the next phase, so don’t rush it. Why settle for a peanut butter on bread when you could really indulge with some grilled sirloin and onions on a roll?
• Consumption: Wherein the sandwich is consumed! Horray! This phase of the lifecycle naturally gets all the attention; This is where all the sandwichy aspirations are realized, the goods are delivered and belief in a just and sandwichy god is re-affirmed. This is the stage that everyone wishes would last forever, but is usually pretty short.
• Celebration / Nostalgia: Wherein the sandwich is at once celebrated and missed. The sandwich is gone, all that remains is the fleeting memory of greatness (and potentially food-coma). This stage usually lasts the longest and is what brings the eater back to worship at the temple of sandwich.