Debt (Senior Notes) (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended				3 Months Ended			3 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]	Aug. 03, 2011 Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]	Dec. 16, 2010 Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes Due 2016 [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes Due 2016 [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]	May 17, 2006 Senior Notes Due 2016 [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes Due 2017 [Member] Subsidiary [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes Due 2017 [Member] Subsidiary [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, principal amount			$ 400,000,000	$ 400,000,000			$ 500,000,000	$ 142,000,000
Debt instrument, maturity date	Dec. 15, 2018				Jun. 01, 2016			Oct. 15, 2017
Debt instrument, interest rate	9.75%	9.75%		9.75%	7.00%	7.00%	7.00%	6.90%	6.90%
Senior notes	$ 400,000,000	$ 400,000,000			$ 499,010,000	$ 498,959,000		$ 129,543,000	$ 129,117,000