Debt - Condensed Consolidating Statement of Comprehensive Income (Detail) (USD $) In Thousands, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013		Sep. 30, 2013		Jun. 30, 2013		Mar. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jun. 30, 2012		Mar. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2013		Dec. 31, 2012		Dec. 31, 2011
Net sales	$ 2,295,450		$ 2,200,899		$ 2,227,542		$ 2,292,430		$ 2,455,130		$ 2,236,969		$ 2,234,841		$ 2,347,722		$ 9,016,321		$ 9,274,662		$ 9,715,747
Cost of sales																	7,161,734		7,179,403		7,618,313
Gross profit	445,770		441,285		472,300		495,232		515,803		508,410		539,902		531,144		1,854,587		2,095,259		2,097,434
Selling and distribution																	1,337,745		1,419,531		1,456,021
General and administrative																	310,453		412,957		473,802
Amortization of intangibles																	3,669		3,758		4,997
Facility closing and reorganization costs																	27,008		55,787		45,688
Litigation settlement																	(1,019)				131,300
Impairment of long-lived assets																	43,441				2,075,836
Goodwill impairment																			2,075,836		2,075,836
Other operating (income) loss																	2,494		(57,459)		(13,785)
Interest expense																	200,558		150,589		177,449
Gain on disposition of WhiteWave common stock																	(415,783)
Loss on early retirement of debt																	63,387
Other (income) expense, net																	(400)		(1,664)		(2,037)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes																	283,034		111,760		(2,251,837)
Income tax expense (benefit)																	(42,325)	[1]	87,945	[2]	(523,555)	[3]
Income (loss) before equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	325,359		23,815		(1,728,282)
Income (loss) from continuing operations	(37,362)		415,518		(32,057)		(20,740)		7,762		(2,192)		19,603		(1,358)		325,359		23,815		(1,728,282)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax																	2,803		139,279		132,495
Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax																	491,195		(2,053)		3,616
Net income (loss)	(37,677)	[4],[5]	415,120	[4],[5]	(53,883)	[4],[5]	495,797	[4],[5]	30,552	[4],[6]	36,441	[4],[6]	56,165	[4],[6]	37,883	[4],[6]	819,357		161,041		(1,592,171)
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest																	(6,179)		(2,419)		16,550
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company	(37,677)	[4]	415,120	[4]	(56,870)	[4]	492,605	[4]	28,133	[4]	36,441	[4]	56,165	[4]	37,883	[4]	813,178		158,622		(1,575,621)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, attributable to Dean Foods Company																	96,369		8,467		(52,867)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company																	909,547		167,089		(1,628,488)
Dean Foods Company
General and administrative																	2,301		8,847		9,279
Litigation settlement																	(1,019)				131,300
Other operating (income) loss																	290		574		(800)
Interest expense																	184,472		131,714		159,731
Gain on disposition of WhiteWave common stock																	(415,783)
Loss on early retirement of debt	(63,300)																63,387
Other (income) expense, net																	(2,300)		(8,163)		(10,664)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes																	168,652		(132,972)		(288,846)
Income tax expense (benefit)																	(99,908)		(46,699)		(109,250)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	268,560		(86,273)		(179,596)
Equity in earnings (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries																	544,618		247,355		(1,396,025)
Income (loss) from continuing operations																	813,178		161,082		(1,575,621)
Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax																			(2,460)
Net income (loss)																	813,178		158,622		(1,575,621)
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company																	813,178		158,622		(1,575,621)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, attributable to Dean Foods Company																	100,488		2,002		(38,659)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company																	913,666		160,624		(1,614,280)
Guarantor Subsidiaries
Net sales																	9,002,872		9,262,725		9,707,177
Cost of sales																	7,151,985		7,170,595		7,612,241
Gross profit																	1,850,887		2,092,130		2,094,936
Selling and distribution																	1,336,319		1,418,615		1,455,036
General and administrative																	306,367		402,518		462,657
Amortization of intangibles																	3,669		3,758		4,997
Facility closing and reorganization costs																	27,008		55,787		45,688
Impairment of long-lived assets																	40,027
Goodwill impairment																					2,075,836
Other operating (income) loss																	2,204				(12,985)
Interest expense																	11,945		11,744		11,775
Other (income) expense, net																	3,269		(44,551)		(42,724)
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes																	120,079		244,259		(1,905,344)
Income tax expense (benefit)																	61,829		94,725		(389,379)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	58,250		149,534		(1,515,965)
Equity in earnings (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries																	(2,035)		(1,759)		4,801
Income (loss) from continuing operations																	56,215		147,775		(1,511,164)
Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax																	491,200
Net income (loss)																	547,415		147,775		(1,511,164)
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company																	547,415		147,775		(1,511,164)
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, attributable to Dean Foods Company																	4,204		(1,495)		(1,589)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company																	551,619		146,280		(1,512,753)
Non-Guarantor Subsidiaries
Net sales																	13,449		11,937		8,570
Cost of sales																	9,749		8,808		6,072
Gross profit																	3,700		3,129		2,498
Selling and distribution																	1,426		916		985
General and administrative																	1,785		1,592		1,866
Impairment of long-lived assets																	3,414
Other operating (income) loss																			(58,033)
Interest expense																	4,141		7,131		5,943
Other (income) expense, net																	(1,369)		51,050		51,351
Income (loss) from continuing operations before income taxes																	(5,697)		473		(57,647)
Income tax expense (benefit)																	(4,246)		39,919		(24,926)
Income (loss) before equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries																	(1,451)		(39,446)		(32,721)
Income (loss) from continuing operations																	(1,451)		(39,446)		(32,721)
Income from discontinued operations, net of tax																	2,803		139,279		132,495
Gain (loss) on sale of discontinued operations, net of tax																	(5)		407		3,616
Net income (loss)																	1,347		100,240		103,390
Net income (loss) attributable to non-controlling interest																	(6,179)		(2,419)		16,550
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company																	(4,832)		97,821		119,940
Other comprehensive income (loss), net of tax, attributable to Dean Foods Company																	(8,323)		7,960		(12,619)
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company																	(13,155)		105,781		107,321
Eliminations
Equity in earnings (loss) of consolidated subsidiaries																	(542,583)		(245,596)		1,391,224
Income (loss) from continuing operations																	(542,583)		(245,596)		1,391,224
Net income (loss)																	(542,583)		(245,596)		1,391,224
Net income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company																	(542,583)		(245,596)		1,391,224
Comprehensive income (loss) attributable to Dean Foods Company																	$ (542,583)		$ (245,596)		$ 1,391,224

[1] Excludes $431.0 million in income tax expense related to discontinued operations.

[2] Excludes $80.4 million in income tax expense related to discontinued operations.

[3] Excludes $67.2 million in income tax expense related to discontinued operations.

[4] The results for the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2013 include facility closing and reorganization costs, net of tax, of $3.6 million, $3.2 million, $4.7 million and $5.9 million, respectively. See Note 17.

[5] Results for 2013 include a gain of $415.8 million related to the disposition of our remaining investment in WhiteWave common stock, a charge of $22.9 million, net of tax, related to impairments of property, plant & equipment (Note 17), a charge of $5.1 million, net of tax, related to impairments of intangible assets (Note 7), and a loss of $38.7 million, net of tax, related to the early retirement of a portion of our senior notes due 2018 and senior notes due 2016 (Note 10).

[6] Results for 2012 include a net after-tax loss of $10.4 million related to the July 3, 2012 sale of our investment in CCC. See Note 4.