Debt (Schedule Of Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet) (Details) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Mar. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 130,309	$ 114,851	$ 108,609	$ 92,007
Receivables, net	932,911	946,109
Income tax receivable	28,174	24,960
Inventories	476,252	452,150
Other current assets	155,243	175,070
Assets held for sale		3,182
Total current assets	1,722,889	1,716,322
Property, plant and equipment, net	2,083,432	2,114,380
Goodwill	1,160,221	1,155,271
Identifiable intangible and other assets, net	792,090	768,390
Total	5,758,632	5,754,363
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	1,173,221	1,232,165
Current portion of debt	253,661	202,539
Current portion of litigation settlements		60,838
Total current liabilities	1,426,882	1,495,542
Long-term debt	3,564,079	3,563,389
Other long-term liabilities	747,878	721,083
Long-term litigation settlements	72,525	73,000
Dean Foods Company stockholders' equity (deficit)	(52,732)	(103,398)
Non-controlling interest		4,747
Total stockholders' deficit	(52,732)	(98,651)	1,582,936	1,514,068
Total	5,758,632	5,754,363
Dean Foods Company [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	11,534	3,061
Receivables, net	793	104
Income tax receivable	28,152	24,934
Intercompany receivables	5,979
Other current assets	24,968	44,779
Total current assets	71,426	72,878
Property, plant and equipment, net	751	413
Identifiable intangible and other assets, net	113,035	69,904
Investment in subsidiaries	7,862,861	7,738,221
Total	8,048,073	7,881,416
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	150,601	148,543
Intercompany payables	4,350,657	4,245,143
Current portion of debt	253,408	202,012
Current portion of litigation settlements		60,838
Total current liabilities	4,754,666	4,656,536
Long-term debt	3,154,927	3,174,107
Other long-term liabilities	118,687	81,171
Long-term litigation settlements	72,525	73,000
Dean Foods Company stockholders' equity (deficit)		(103,398)
Total stockholders' deficit	(52,732)	(103,398)
Total	8,048,073	7,881,416
Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents		6,221
Receivables, net	63,203	61,156
Inventories	449,642	426,126
Intercompany receivables	4,809,045	4,821,647
Intercompany note receivable	70,723	125,000
Other current assets	119,185	117,952
Total current assets	5,511,798	5,558,102
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,898,694	1,931,787
Goodwill	993,249	993,250
Identifiable intangible and other assets, net	566,763	587,442
Investment in subsidiaries	503,325	356,983
Total	9,473,829	9,427,564
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	942,828	1,012,736
Current portion of debt	253	259
Total current liabilities	943,081	1,012,995
Long-term debt	129,662	129,282
Other long-term liabilities	538,225	547,066
Dean Foods Company stockholders' equity (deficit)		7,738,221
Total stockholders' deficit	7,862,861	7,738,221
Total	9,473,829	9,427,564
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents	118,775	105,569
Receivables, net	868,915	884,849
Income tax receivable	22	26
Inventories	26,610	26,024
Other current assets	11,090	12,339
Assets held for sale		3,182
Total current assets	1,025,412	1,031,989
Property, plant and equipment, net	183,987	182,180
Goodwill	166,972	162,021
Identifiable intangible and other assets, net	112,292	111,044
Total	1,488,663	1,487,234
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	79,792	70,886
Intercompany payables	464,367	576,504
Current portion of debt		268
Intercompany note payable	70,723	125,000
Total current liabilities	614,882	772,658
Long-term debt	279,490	260,000
Other long-term liabilities	90,966	92,846
Dean Foods Company stockholders' equity (deficit)		356,983
Non-controlling interest		4,747
Total stockholders' deficit	503,325	361,730
Total	1,488,663	1,487,234
Eliminations [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Intercompany receivables	(4,815,024)	(4,821,647)
Intercompany note receivable	(70,723)	(125,000)
Total current assets	(4,885,747)	(4,946,647)
Investment in subsidiaries	(8,366,186)	(8,095,204)
Total	(13,251,933)	(13,041,851)
Intercompany payables	(4,815,024)	(4,821,647)
Intercompany note payable	(70,723)	(125,000)
Total current liabilities	(4,885,747)	(4,946,647)
Dean Foods Company stockholders' equity (deficit)		(8,095,204)
Total stockholders' deficit	(8,366,186)	(8,095,204)
Total	(13,251,933)	(13,041,851)
As Previously Reported [Member] | Dean Foods Company [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents			11,995	307
As Previously Reported [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents			10,561	9,750
As Previously Reported [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents			86,053	81,950
As Restated [Member] | Dean Foods Company [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents			11,995	307
As Restated [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents			10,561	9,750
As Restated [Member] | Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Cash and cash equivalents			$ 86,053	$ 81,950