Earnings Per Share (Tables)

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2011

Earnings Per Share [Abstract]

Basic And Diluted Earnings Per Common Share

	Fiscal 2011		Fiscal 2010		Fiscal 2009
Net income attributable to Flowers Foods, Inc.	$	123,428	$	137,047	$	130,297
Basic Earnings Per Common Share:
Weighted average shares outstanding for common stock		135,343		136,796		137,680
Weighted average shares outstanding for participating securities		44		333		620
Basic weighted average shares outstanding per common share		135,387		137,129		138,300
Basic earnings per common share attributable to Flowers Foods, Inc. common shareholders	$	0.91	$	1.00	$	0.94
Diluted Earnings Per Common Share:
Basic weighted average shares outstanding per common share		135,387		137,129		138,300
Add: Shares of common stock assumed issued upon exercise of stock options, vesting of performance-contingent restricted stock and deferred stock		1,494		1,033		800
Diluted weighted average shares outstanding per common share		136,881		138,162		139,100
Diluted earnings per common share attributable to Flowers Foods, Inc. common shareholders	$	0.90	$	0.99	$	0.94

Shares Not Included In Diluted Earnings Per Share Computation

	Fiscal 2011		Fiscal 2010		Fiscal 2009
Shares excluded from the diluted earnings per share computation		—		1,693		2,762