CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY (DEFICIT) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	Total	Common Stock	Additional Paid-in Capital	Retained Earnings(Accumulated Deficit)	Accumulated Other Comprehensive Income (Loss)	Non-controlling Interest
Balance at Dec. 31, 2012	$ 459,628	$ 928	$ 1,376,740	$ (833,897)	$ (186,584)	$ 102,441
Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2012		92,781,767
Issuance of common stock, net of tax impact of share-based compensation	19,920	$ 20	19,900
Issuance of common stock, net of tax impact of share-based compensation (in shares)		2,049,610
Share-based compensation expense	11,718		11,718
Share-based compensation expense for former subsidiary shares	7,733					7,733
Net income attributable to non-controlling interest	6,179					6,179
Net income attributable to Dean Foods Company	813,178			813,178
Other comprehensive income (loss) (Note 13):
Change in fair value of derivative instruments, net of tax benefit	(81)				(91)	10
Amounts reclassified to statement of operations related to hedging activities, net of tax	58,784				58,784
Cumulative translation adjustment	(10,791)				(9,393)	(1,398)
Pension liability adjustment, net of tax benefit	47,073				47,069	4
Spin-Off of The WhiteWave Foods Company	(699,026)		(617,082)		33,025	(114,969)
Dividends	(26,232)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2013	714,315	$ 948	791,276	(20,719)	(57,190)	0
Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2013		94,831,377.000
Issuance of common stock, net of tax impact of share-based compensation	7,768	$ 10	7,758
Issuance of common stock, net of tax impact of share-based compensation (in shares)		976,738
Share-based compensation expense	4,556		4,556
Net income attributable to Dean Foods Company	(20,296)			(20,296)
Other comprehensive income (loss) (Note 13):
Change in fair value of derivative instruments, net of tax benefit	(116)				(116)
Amounts reclassified to statement of operations related to hedging activities, net of tax	(220)				(220)
Cumulative translation adjustment	(802)				(802)
Pension liability adjustment, net of tax benefit	$ (26,655)				(26,655)
Share repurchases (shares)	(1,727,000)	(1,727,275)
Share repurchases	$ (25,000)	$ (17)	(24,983)
Dividends			(26,232)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2014	$ 627,318	$ 941	752,375	(41,015)	(84,983)	0
Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2014	94,080,840	94,080,840
Issuance of common stock, net of tax impact of share-based compensation	$ (1,668)	$ 5	(1,673)
Issuance of common stock, net of tax impact of share-based compensation (in shares)		513,016
Share-based compensation expense	8,488		8,488
Net income attributable to Dean Foods Company	(8,508)			(8,508)
Other comprehensive income (loss) (Note 13):
Change in fair value of derivative instruments, net of tax benefit	(87)				(87)
Amounts reclassified to statement of operations related to hedging activities, net of tax	0
Cumulative translation adjustment	(1,333)				(1,333)
Pension liability adjustment, net of tax benefit	$ 600				600
Share repurchases (shares)	(3,166,000)	(3,165,582)
Share repurchases	$ (53,010)	$ (32)	(52,978)
Dividends	(26,296)		(26,296)
Balance at Dec. 31, 2015	$ 545,504	$ 914	$ 679,916	$ (49,523)	$ (85,803)	$ 0
Balance, Shares at Dec. 31, 2015	91,428,274	91,428,274