CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 8,121,661	$ 9,503,196	$ 9,016,321
Cost of sales	6,147,252	7,829,733	7,161,734
Gross profit	1,974,409	1,673,463	1,854,587
Operating costs and expenses:
Selling and distribution	1,379,317	1,355,053	1,337,745
General and administrative	350,324	288,744	310,453
Amortization of intangibles	21,653	2,889	3,669
Facility closing and reorganization costs	19,844	4,460	27,008
Litigation settlements	0	(2,521)	(1,019)
Impairment of intangible and long-lived assets	109,910	20,820	43,441
Other operating (income) loss	0	(4,535)	2,494
Total operating costs and expenses	1,881,048	1,664,910	1,723,791
Operating income	93,361	8,553	130,796
Other (income) expense:
Interest expense	66,813	61,019	200,558
Loss on early retirement of long-term debt	43,609	1,437	63,387
Gain on disposition of WhiteWave common stock	0	0	(415,783)
Other income, net	(3,751)	(1,620)	(400)
Total other (income) expense	106,671	60,836	(152,238)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes	(13,310)	(52,283)	283,034
Income tax benefit	(5,229)	(32,096)	(42,325)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(8,081)	(20,187)	325,359
Income (loss) from discontinued operations, net of tax	(1,095)	(652)	2,803
Gain on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax	668	543	491,195
Net income (loss)	(8,508)	(20,296)	819,357
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest in discontinued operations	0	0	(6,179)
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company	$ (8,508)	$ (20,296)	$ 813,178
Average common shares:
Basic (in shares)	93,298,467	93,916,656	93,785,611
Diluted (in shares)	93,298,467	93,916,656	94,796,236
Basic earnings (loss) per common share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (in dollars per share)	$ (0.09)	$ (0.22)	$ 3.47
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	5.20
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company (in dollars per share)	(0.09)	(0.22)	8.67
Diluted earnings (loss) per common share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (in dollars per share)	(0.09)	(0.22)	3.43
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (in dollars per share)	0.00	0.00	5.15
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company (in dollars per share)	(0.09)	(0.22)	8.58
Cash dividend declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.28	$ 0.28	$ 0