Debt - Condensed Consolidating Balance Sheet (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	Dec. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010
Cash and cash equivalents	$ 16,762	$ 24,657	$ 18,147	$ 2,065
Receivables, net	752,234	775,818
Income tax receivable	15,915	10,492
Inventories	262,858	261,265
Other current assets	102,929	114,894
Assets of discontinued operations		2,793,608
Total current assets	1,150,698	3,980,734
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,216,047	1,248,637
Goodwill	86,841	86,841	2,163,785
Identifiable intangible and other assets, net	348,459	381,371
Total	2,802,045	5,697,583
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	761,288	913,631
Current portion of debt	698	10,535
Current portion of litigation settlements	19,101	20,000
Liabilities of discontinued operations		1,466,221
Total current liabilities	781,087	2,410,387
Long-term debt	896,564	2,311,708
Other long-term liabilities	374,005	462,148
Long-term litigation settlements	36,074	53,712
Dean Foods Company stockholders' equity (deficit)	714,315	357,187
Non-controlling interest		102,441
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	714,315	459,628	(98,651)	1,514,068
Total	2,802,045	5,697,583
Dean Foods Company
Cash and cash equivalents	(12,289)	15,242	3,061	308
Receivables, net	1,932	1,172
Income tax receivable	10,374	10,291
Other current assets	6,944	6,464
Total current assets	6,961	33,169
Property, plant and equipment, net		4
Identifiable intangible and other assets, net	90,269	101,508
Investment in subsidiaries	6,633,000	6,335,400
Total	6,730,230	6,470,081
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	47,284	144,181
Intercompany payables	5,304,051	3,591,077
Current portion of debt		10,534
Current portion of litigation settlements	19,101	20,000
Total current liabilities	5,370,436	3,765,792
Long-term debt	549,641	2,180,829
Other long-term liabilities	59,764	112,561
Long-term litigation settlements	36,074	53,712
Dean Foods Company stockholders' equity (deficit)	714,315	357,187
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	714,315	357,187
Total	6,730,230	6,470,081
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash and cash equivalents	17,433		6,708	(5,727)
Receivables, net	72,660	39,879
Income tax receivable	5,541	201
Inventories	262,858	261,265
Intercompany receivables	5,728,284	4,326,672
Other current assets	95,927	108,426
Total current assets	6,182,703	4,736,443
Property, plant and equipment, net	1,215,888	1,244,616
Goodwill	86,841	86,841
Identifiable intangible and other assets, net	258,109	279,960
Investment in subsidiaries	72,345	74,054
Total	7,815,886	6,421,914
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	713,625	769,646
Current portion of debt	698	1
Total current liabilities	714,323	769,647
Long-term debt	133,923	130,879
Other long-term liabilities	314,149	347,939
Dean Foods Company stockholders' equity (deficit)	6,653,491	5,173,449
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	6,653,491	5,173,449
Total	7,815,886	6,421,914
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Cash and cash equivalents	11,618	9,415	8,378	7,484
Receivables, net	677,642	734,767
Intercompany receivables	(1)
Other current assets	58	4
Assets of discontinued operations		2,793,608
Total current assets	689,317	3,537,794
Property, plant and equipment, net	159	4,017
Identifiable intangible and other assets, net	81	(97)
Total	689,557	3,541,714
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	554	(196)
Intercompany payables	424,057	735,595
Liabilities of discontinued operations		1,466,221
Total current liabilities	424,611	2,201,620
Long-term debt	213,000
Other long-term liabilities	92	1,648
Dean Foods Company stockholders' equity (deficit)	51,854	1,236,005
Non-controlling interest		102,441
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	51,854	1,338,446
Total	689,557	3,541,714
Eliminations
Cash and cash equivalents	16,762	24,657
Intercompany receivables	(5,728,283)	(4,326,672)
Total current assets	(5,728,283)	(4,326,672)
Investment in subsidiaries	(6,705,345)	(6,409,454)
Total	(12,433,628)	(10,736,126)
LIABILITIES AND STOCKHOLDERS' EQUITY
Accounts payable and accrued expenses	(175)
Intercompany payables	(5,728,108)	(4,326,672)
Total current liabilities	(5,728,283)	(4,326,672)
Dean Foods Company stockholders' equity (deficit)	(6,705,345)	(6,409,454)
Total stockholders' equity (deficit)	(6,705,345)	(6,409,454)
Total	$ (12,433,628)	$ (10,736,126)