Document And Entity Information - shares	3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2019	May 03, 2019
Document And Entity Information
Entity Registrant Name	Lifeway Foods, Inc.
Entity Central Index Key	0000814586
Document Type	10-Q
Document Period End Date	Mar. 31, 2019
Amendment Flag	false
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--12-31
Is Entity's Reporting Status Current	Yes
Entity Filer Category	Non-accelerated Filer
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
Entity Small Business	true
Entity Ex Transition Period	false
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		15,795,034
Document Fiscal Period Focus	Q1
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2019