We all have our quirks, but we it comes to snacking Dean Zahariadis takes the perfectly sliced cake. The 31-year-old, from Pyrmont in Sydney, only ever eats his perfectly-portioned snacks with a knife and fork complete with a napkin tucked under his chin to avoid any mess. A self-confessed control freak, it doesn't bother Dean if he gets strange looks for his bizarre snacking rituals which include cutting all his food into bite-size portions and using cutlery for absolutely everything he eats - even the tiniest of items such as nuts and sultanas. Dean is a structured snacker who admits his obsessive behaviour can become quite tiresome and impact on his everyday life. And it seems he's not the only one obsessed with snacking as new statistics show Australians crave snacking more than spending time between the sheets or cuddles with their partners. Dean Zahariadis (right), with his girlfriend Claire Smith (left), must eat all of his food with a knife and fork . Almost two thirds feel the urge to satisfy their stomachs more than their sexual needs with a survey by snack food Wonderful Pistachios revealing that only 49 per cent have the strong desire to be intimate with their loved ones and a mere 39 per cent prefer cuddles over pigging out. Dean, who was diagnosed with a mild case of obsessive compulsive disorder in his first year of university, thinks it's because food is more readily available than sex. But he would still choose being intimate with  girlfriend Claire Smith over his structured snacks. 'I think it might be a case of we just generally crave food more often than intimacy because it's more readily available and we need to more regularly,' he said. Australian Clinical Psychologist and Mind and Body Expert Leanne Hall said  snacking and craving is alluring because it satisfies the pleasure sensors in your brain. 'We tend to use it as a way to make us feel good - whereas intimacy can do the same thing but it depends on the partner doesn't it?' she said. 'Some people say they would rather a block of chocolate over their partner which is a bit concerning.' A manager at Social Brew cafe, Dean must have six saucers perfectly lined up ready to go at at all times . Dean has to cut everything exactly the same size - even if it is for the customers at work . Food is a much quicker and easier craving to fix than the urges that go on in the bedroom. 'Let's face it, the food doesn't expect anything in return does it?' Ms Hall said. 'Whereas snacking just fulfils your need - you don't have to worry about anybody else's needs except your own.' As many as four in five people use snacks as a way to reward themselves or as a form of relaxation, according to a survey of more than 1,000 Australians. Dean admits to feeling very anxious if he can't snack the way he wants to with his particular and precise habits and is only able to relax when everything goes to plan. 'If I've been healthy all week I like to treat myself - very occasionally with a chocolate if I feel like I've accomplished something. 'But my way of indulging is probably different to most because I usually treat myself with a nut bar or muesli bar which still has sugar in it but some might see that as a more healthy option.' However, as much as Dean is controlled with his healthy snacks, his one 'bad habit' is having a can of Coke Zero with dinner every night. 'I find I've become to accustomed to the gas in the soft drink that it actually adds to every meal,' he said. 'If I don't have a bit of the drink left to take that last sip at the end of the meal than I don't feel full - that really drives me insane.' Dean needs all of his food cut up as the same snack size and he always uses a napkin to avoid any mess . Dean admits to becoming exhausted with his fastidious ways especially when at work . The survey results also indicate that Australians are ruled by snacking  behaviour with seven in 10 admitting to eating snacks purely because they are giving into a craving. Dean said his obsessive ways can really impact on his life especially where he works as a manager of the Social Brew cafe in Pyrmont. 'When I’m serving coffee, I line my cups and saucers up like ducks in a row on the counter which has only manifested in the past six months. If anything is out of place, I have to rearrange it immediately,' he said. 'The sweet treat display needs to be immaculately presented and every plate needs to be positioned so it lines up perfectly. 'If I’m going to serve a cake or sandwich to a customer, it needs to be cut into a slice that’s exactly 5cm wide. 'I think that being a perfectionist actually suits my line of work – no one ever complains about having to tidy up after me.' But he does confess to getting tired of doing the same thing '100 times a day'. 'I hate things being moved it drives me insane which can be very exhausting - I'm always thinking "geez this is so tiring",' he said. Meanwhile 45 per cent of Australians confess to secretly stashing their favourite treats to hide them from others - and 41 per cent vow they are prepared to travel up to 10km to fulfill their urge for a particular snack. But at the same time, many won't travel too far without their favourite food as 58 per cent  make space for snacks in their suitcases and 48 per cent say they find their trusty treats comforting when away from home. The number one hot spot to feast on your snacks is while you are cosily tucked up bed but not for Dean who can't bear the thought of his bed getting food crumbs on it . As much as Dean is very controlled with his healthy snacks, his one 'bad habit' is having a can of Coke Zero with dinner every night . Dean doesn't like to drive without his portion-sized snacks in the car and avoids flying on planes as much as possible because they make him feel 'woozy'. To prove even further that comfort food is the real deal - the number one hot spot to feast on your snacks is while you are cosily tucked up bed for those who were surveyed. But this is certainly not an ideal snacking scenario for Dean who can't bear the thought of his bed getting dirty. Ms Hall said it is essential to break the habit where you like to snack by turning them into snack-free zones and also creating boundaries where food is only to be consumed in the kitchen or dining room. 'If you usually snack in front of the TV then don't allow food on the couch so you are addressing those triggers that lead to that mindless eating - which is when we overeat because we are usually focusing on a million things at once,' she said. 'If you create those limits then you are less likely to fall in the trap of stashing food in the bedroom or as soon as a movie goes on snacking on popcorn and chips.'
Dean Zahariadis is a structured snacker who always uses a knife and fork . The 31-year-old needs a napkin tucked under his chin to avoid any mess . The cafe manager's snacks must be always be an identical shape and size . Almost two thirds of Aussies crave food over intimacy with partners . While only 49 per cent crave time with their partner between the sheets .