Debt - Schedule of Debt Instruments (Detail) - USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Subtotal	$ 899,780,000	$ 895,080,000
Unamortized discounts and debt issuance costs	(8,103,000)	(9,029,000)
Total debt	891,677,000	886,051,000
Less current portion	(141,482,000)	(140,806,000)
Total long-term portion	750,195,000	745,245,000
Debt issuance costs	6,500,000
Dean Foods Company
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	704,400,000	709,100,000
Dean Foods Company | Senior Notes Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	$ 700,000,000	$ 700,000,000
Interest rate (percent)	6.50%	6.50%
Dean Foods Company | Senior secured revolving credit facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility	$ 4,400,000	$ 9,100,000
Weighted average rate (percent)	2.91%	2.94%
Subsidiary
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt	$ 195,380,000	$ 185,980,000
Subsidiary | Capital lease and other
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capital lease and other	3,380,000	3,980,000
Subsidiary | Senior Notes Due 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior notes	$ 142,000,000	$ 142,000,000
Interest rate (percent)	6.90%	6.90%
Subsidiary | Receivables Securitization Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Credit facility	$ 50,000,000	$ 40,000,000
Weighted average rate (percent)	1.93%	1.87%