Basis of Presentation - Additional Information (Detail) - Segment	4 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Apr. 22, 2017	Apr. 23, 2016	Dec. 31, 2016
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Segment reporting, description	SEGMENTS — Flowers Foods currently operates two business segments: a direct-store-delivery (“DSD”) segment (“DSD Segment”) and a warehouse delivery segment (“Warehouse Segment”). The DSD Segment (84% of total year to date sales) currently operates 39 plants that produce a wide variety of fresh bakery foods, including fresh breads, buns, rolls, tortillas, and snack cakes. These products are sold through a DSD route delivery system to retail and foodservice customers in the East, South, Southwest, California, and select markets in the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, Nevada, and Colorado. The Warehouse Segment (16% of total year to date sales) currently operates ten plants that produce snack cakes, breads and rolls for national retail, foodservice, vending, and co-pack customers and deliver through customers’ warehouse channels
Number of business segments	2
Total year to date sales | Customer Concentration Risk | Wal-Mart/Sam's Club
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	19.80%	19.10%
Total year to date sales | Customer Concentration Risk | DSD Segment
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	84.00%
Total year to date sales | Customer Concentration Risk | DSD Segment | Wal-Mart/Sam's Club
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	17.30%	16.40%
Total year to date sales | Customer Concentration Risk | Warehouse Segment
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	16.00%
Total year to date sales | Customer Concentration Risk | Warehouse Segment | Wal-Mart/Sam's Club
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	2.50%	2.70%
Outstanding Trade Receivables | Customer Concentration Risk | Wal-Mart/Sam's Club
Basis of Presentation [Line Items]
Concentration risk percentage	18.90%		18.80%