CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2019	Dec. 31, 2018	Dec. 31, 2017
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net sales	$ 7,328,663	$ 7,755,283	$ 7,795,025
Cost of sales	5,888,931	6,100,005	5,976,958
Gross profit	1,439,732	1,655,278	1,818,067
Operating costs and expenses:
Selling and distribution	1,327,922	1,403,178	1,346,417
General and administrative	301,355	277,659	307,793
Amortization of intangibles	20,600	20,456	20,710
Prepetition facility closing and restructuring costs, net	17,017	74,992	24,913
Impairment of goodwill and long-lived assets	177,357	204,414	30,668
Other operating income	0	(2,289)	0
Equity in (earnings) loss of unconsolidated affiliate	(4,835)	(7,939)	0
Total operating costs and expenses	1,839,416	1,970,471	1,730,501
Operating income (loss)	(399,684)	(315,193)	87,566
Other (income) expense:
Interest expense	68,730	56,443	64,961
Other (income) expense, net	(3,012)	2,877	1,362
Reorganization items	44,527	0	0
Total other expense	110,245	59,320	66,323
Income (loss) before income taxes	(509,929)	(374,513)	21,243
Income tax benefit	(9,195)	(42,283)	(26,179)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(500,734)	(332,230)	47,422
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax	0	0	11,291
Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax	(70)	4,872	2,875
Net income (loss)	(500,804)	(327,358)	61,588
Net loss attributable to non-controlling interest	862	458	0
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company	$ (499,942)	$ (326,900)	$ 61,588
Average common shares:
Basic (shares)	91,777,119	91,327,846	90,899,284
Diluted (shares)	91,777,119	91,327,846	91,273,994
Basic income (loss) per common share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	$ (5.45)	$ (3.63)	$ 0.52
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	0	0.05	0.16
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	(5.45)	(3.58)	0.68
Diluted income (loss) per common share:
Income (loss) from continuing operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	(5.45)	(3.63)	0.52
Income from discontinued operations attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	0	0.05	0.15
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company (USD per share)	$ (5.45)	$ (3.58)	$ 0.67