Document and Entity Information - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Jan. 01, 2022	Feb. 17, 2022	Jul. 17, 2021
Cover [Abstract]
Document Type	10-K
Amendment Flag	false
Document Period End Date	Jan. 01, 2022
Document Fiscal Year Focus	2021
Document Fiscal Period Focus	FY
Trading Symbol	FLO
Title of 12(b) Security	Common Stock
Security Exchange Name	NYSE
Entity Registrant Name	FLOWERS FOODS, INC
Entity Central Index Key	0001128928
Entity Well-known Seasoned Issuer	Yes
Entity Current Reporting Status	Yes
Entity Voluntary Filers	No
Entity Interactive Data Current	Yes
Document Annual Report	true
Document Transition Report	false
Entity File Number	1-16247
Entity Tax Identification Number	58-2582379
Entity Address, Address Line One	1919 Flowers Circle
Entity Address, City or Town	Thomasville
Entity Address, State or Province	GA
Entity Address, Postal Zip Code	31757
City Area Code	229
Local Phone Number	226-9110
Entity Incorporation, State or Country Code	2Q
Current Fiscal Year End Date	--01-01
Entity Filer Category	Large Accelerated Filer
Entity Shell Company	false
Entity Small Business	false
Entity Emerging Growth Company	false
ICFR Auditor Attestation Flag	true
Entity Common Stock, Shares Outstanding		211,536,622
Entity Public Float			$ 4,982,859,803
Auditor Name	PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP
Auditor Location	Atlanta, Georgia
Auditor Firm ID	238
Documents Incorporated by Reference	Portions of the registrant’s Proxy Statement for the 2022 Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be held May 26, 2022, which is expected to be filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on or about April 12, 2022, have been incorporated by reference into Part III, Items 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 of this Annual Report on Form 10-K.