Debt (Schedule Of Debt Instruments) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2012 Dean Foods Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Dean Foods Company [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Subsidiary [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Subsidiary [Member]		Mar. 31, 2012 Alpro [Member] Subsidiary [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Alpro [Member] Subsidiary [Member]	Mar. 31, 2012 Secured Debt [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]		Dec. 31, 2011 Secured Debt [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]	Mar. 31, 2012 Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]	Dec. 16, 2010 Senior Notes Due 2018 [Member] Dean Foods Company [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Senior secured credit facility											$ 2,509,326		$ 2,477,160
Senior notes															499,010	498,959		129,543	129,117	400,000	400,000
Long-term debt	3,817,740	3,765,928	3,408,336	3,376,119	409,404		389,809
Interest Rate															7.00%	7.00%	7.00%	6.90%	6.90%	9.75%	9.75%	9.75%
Weighted average rate					1.25%	[1]	1.31%	[1]			2.77%	[2]	3.00%	[2]
Capital lease obligations and other					371		692
Alpro revolving credit facility					279,490		260,000
Less current portion	(253,661)	(202,539)
Total long-term portion	$ 3,564,079	$ 3,563,389	$ 3,154,927	$ 3,174,107

[1] Represents a weighted-average rate, including applicable interest rate margins, for indebtedness outstanding under the receivables securitization facility.

[2] Represents a weighted average rate, including applicable interest rate margins, for the senior secured revolving credit facility, term loan A and term loan B.