Debt - Senior Notes Due 2023 (Details)	1 Months Ended		3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Jul. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2013 USD ($)	Feb. 25, 2015 USD ($)
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Write-off of financing costs				$ 0	$ 0	$ 6,791,000
Dean Foods Company | Senior Secured Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit, amount outstanding				0	$ 70,301,000
Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Average daily balance under facility				5,900,000
Letters of credit issued				0
Senior Notes Due 2023 | Senior Notes
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt instrument, principal amount							$ 700,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate							6.50%
Debt Instrument, issue price percentage of principal							100.00%
Debt issuance costs				7,000,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs				$ 1,800,000
Senior Notes Due 2023 | Dean Foods Company | Senior Notes
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate				6.50%	0.00%
Old Credit Facility | Senior Secured Debt | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt instrument term		5 years
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity		$ 750,000,000
Write-off of financing costs			$ 5,300,000
Credit Facility | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt instrument term	5 years
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 450,000,000		450,000,000
Credit Agreement | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt issuance costs			4,800,000.0
Unamortized debt issuance costs	2,500,000		2,500,000
Percentage of guarantor's first-tier foreign subsidiaries				65.00%
Individual net book value of real property				$ 10,000,000
Credit Agreement | Maximum | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Additional borrowing capacity	200,000,000		200,000,000
Consolidated interest coverage ratio				2.50
Credit Agreement | Minimum | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Consolidated interest coverage ratio				2.25
Credit Agreement | Letter of Credit | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	75,000,000		75,000,000
Credit Agreement | Swing Line Loan | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Line of credit facility, maximum borrowing capacity	$ 100,000,000		$ 100,000,000
Period 1 | Senior Notes Due 2023 | Senior Notes
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, purchase price, percentage of principal amount redeemed				40.00%
Redemption price percentage				106.50%
Period 2 | Senior Notes Due 2023 | Senior Notes
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Redemption price percentage				100.00%
Period 3 | Senior Notes Due 2023 | Senior Notes
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Redemption price percentage				101.00%
LIBOR | Credit Agreement | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Interest rate during the period				2.25%
LIBOR | Credit Agreement | Maximum | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate				275.00%
LIBOR | Credit Agreement | Minimum | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate				2.25%
Base Rate | Credit Agreement | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Interest rate during the period				1.25%
Base Rate | Credit Agreement | Maximum | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate				1.75%
Base Rate | Credit Agreement | Minimum | Revolving Credit Facility
Line of Credit Facility [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate				1.25%