Derivative Financial Instruments And Fair Value Measurements (Tables)

3 Months Ended

Mar. 31, 2012

Derivative Financial Instruments And Fair Value Measurements [Abstract]

Summary Of Various Interest Rate Agreements

Fixed Interest Rates	Expiration Date	Notional Amounts
		(In millions)
0.415% to 0.418%(1)	December 31, 2012	$	500
1.60% to 1.84%	December 31, 2013		800
2.75% to 2.84%	March 31, 2016		200
2.70% to 3.17%	March 31, 2017		650

(1) In September 2011, we entered into forward-starting interest rate swap agreements with an effective date of December 30, 2011. The notional amounts of the swap agreements decreased by $400 million on March 30, 2012 and the remaining notional amounts shown in the table above expire on December 31, 2012.

Derivatives Recorded At Fair Value In Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

	Derivative Assets				Derivative Liabilities
	March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011		March 31, 2012		December 31, 2011
	(In thousands)
Derivatives Designated as Hedging Instruments
Interest rate swap contracts — current(1)	$	—	$	—	$	34,570	$	38,260
Interest rate swap contracts — noncurrent(2)		—		—		58,814		64,037
Commodities contracts — current(1)		767		93		2,962		2,346
Foreign currency contracts — current(1)		196		411		—		—
Derivatives not Designated as Hedging Instruments
Commodities contracts — current(1)		6,721		2,006		5,996		1,530
Foreign currency contracts — current(1)		—		—		2,939		—
Total derivatives	$	7,684	$	2,510	$	105,281	$	106,173

(1) Derivative assets and liabilities that have settlement dates equal to or less than 12 months from the respective balance sheet date were included in other current assets and accounts payable and accrued expenses, respectively, in our unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

(2) Derivative assets and liabilities that have settlement dates greater than 12 months from the respective balance sheet date were included in identifiable intangible and other assets, net and other long-term liabilities, respectively, in our unaudited Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets.

Gains And Losses On Derivatives Designated As Cash Flow Hedges

	March 31, 2012		March 31, 2011
	(In thousands)
Losses on interest rate swap contracts(1)	$	13,996	$	17,040
(Gains)/Losses on commodities contracts(2)		1,136		(1,052	)
Losses on foreign currency contracts(3)		17		—

(1) Recorded in interest expense in our unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

(2) Recorded in distribution expense or cost of sales, depending on commodity type, in our unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

(3) Recorded in cost of sales in our unaudited Condensed Consolidated Statements of Operations.

Summary Of Derivative Assets And Liabilities Measured At Fair Value On Recurring Basis

	Fair Value as of March 31, 2012		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Liability — Interest rate swap contracts	$	93,384	$	—	$	93,384	$	—
Asset — Commodities contracts		7,489		—		7,489		—
Liability — Commodities contracts		8,958		—		8,958		—
Asset — Foreign currency contracts		196		—		196		—
Liability — Foreign currency contracts		2,939		—		2,939		—

	Fair Value as of December 31, 2011		Level 1		Level 2		Level 3
Liability — Interest rate swap contracts	$	102,297	$	—	$	102,297	$	—
Asset — Commodities contracts		2,099		—		2,099		—
Liability — Commodities contracts		3,876		—		3,876		—
Asset – Foreign currency contracts		411		—		411		—

Carrying Value And Fair Value Of Senior And Subsidiary Senior Notes

	March 31, 2012				December 31, 2011
	Carrying Value		Fair Value		Carrying Value		Fair Value
	(In thousands)
Subsidiary senior notes due 2017	$	129,543	$	140,935	$	129,117	$	136,853
Dean Foods Company senior notes due 2016		499,010		513,750		498,959		493,750
Dean Foods Company senior notes due 2018		400,000		440,000		400,000		426,000