CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS (Unaudited) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended		9 Months Ended
	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017	Sep. 30, 2018	Sep. 30, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 1,894,066	$ 1,937,620	$ 5,825,803	$ 5,860,028
Cost of sales	1,503,469	1,495,782	4,553,919	4,488,491
Gross profit	390,597	441,838	1,271,884	1,371,537
Operating costs and expenses:
Selling and distribution	349,244	332,551	1,031,961	1,015,624
General and administrative	66,582	67,950	208,076	238,895
Amortization of intangibles	5,150	5,232	15,306	15,542
Facility closing and reorganization costs, net	(2,679)	7,844	73,444	22,947
Impairment of long-lived assets	0	24,970	2,232	24,970
Other operating income	0	0	(2,289)	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated affiliate	(1,917)	0	(5,516)	0
Total operating costs and expenses	416,380	438,547	1,323,214	1,317,978
Operating income (loss)	(25,783)	3,291	(51,330)	53,559
Other expense:
Interest expense	13,810	16,527	41,912	50,410
Other expense, net	432	414	1,684	805
Total other expense	14,242	16,941	43,596	51,215
Income (loss) before income taxes	(40,025)	(13,650)	(94,926)	2,344
Income tax expense (benefit)	(13,377)	(3,677)	(25,997)	4,429
Loss from continuing operations	(26,648)	(9,973)	(68,929)	(2,085)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	11,355	0	11,355
Gain on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	1,922	0
Net income (loss)	(26,648)	1,382	(67,007)	9,270
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest	224	0	224	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company	$ (26,424)	$ 1,382	$ (66,783)	$ 9,270
Average common shares:
Basic (shares)	91,372,325	90,939,101	91,302,990	90,844,613
Diluted (shares)	91,372,325	90,939,101	91,302,990	90,844,613
Basic income (loss) per common share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	$ (0.29)	$ (0.11)	$ (0.75)	$ (0.03)
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	0.00	0.13	0.02	0.13
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	(0.29)	0.02	(0.73)	0.10
Diluted income (loss) per common share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	(0.29)	(0.11)	(0.75)	(0.03)
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	0.00	0.13	0.02	0.13
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	(0.29)	0.02	(0.73)	0.10
Cash dividends declared per common share (USD per share)	$ 0.09	$ 0.09	$ 0.27	$ 0.27