Segment Reporting - Sales (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Oct. 28, 2018	Jul. 29, 2018	Apr. 29, 2018	Jan. 28, 2018	Oct. 29, 2017	Jul. 30, 2017	Apr. 30, 2017	Jan. 29, 2017	Oct. 28, 2018	Oct. 29, 2017	Oct. 30, 2016
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	$ 2,524,697	$ 2,359,142	$ 2,330,568	$ 2,331,293	$ 2,492,608	$ 2,207,375	$ 2,187,309	$ 2,280,227	$ 9,545,700	$ 9,167,519	$ 9,523,224	[1]
Intersegment Elimination
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									119,382	121,248	132,109
Operating Segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									9,545,700	9,167,519	9,523,224
Grocery Products
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									2,521,992	2,555,613	2,623,890
Grocery Products | Intersegment Elimination
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									38	32	26
Grocery Products | Operating Segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									2,522,030	2,555,645	2,623,916
Refrigerated Foods
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									4,771,836	4,403,732	4,647,173
Refrigerated Foods | Intersegment Sales
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									8,591	7,832	11,341
Refrigerated Foods | Operating Segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									4,780,427	4,411,564	4,658,514
Jennie-O Turkey Store
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									1,627,433	1,663,160	1,740,968
Jennie-O Turkey Store | Intersegment Sales
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									110,753	113,384	120,742
Jennie-O Turkey Store | Operating Segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									1,738,186	1,776,544	1,861,710
International & Other
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									624,439	545,014	511,193
International & Other | Intersegment Elimination
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									0	0	0
International & Other | Operating Segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales									$ 624,439	$ 545,014	$ 511,193

[1] Fiscal 2016 included 53 weeks.