SEGMENT REPORTING - Operating Profit (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended			9 Months Ended
	Jul. 28, 2019 USD ($)	Jul. 29, 2018 USD ($)		Jul. 28, 2019 USD ($) division segment	Jul. 29, 2018 USD ($)
Operating profit and other financial information
Number of reportable business segments | segment				4
Net Sales	$ 2,290,705	$ 2,359,142	[1]	$ 6,995,804	$ 7,021,003	[1]
Segment Profit	256,657	256,690	[1]	875,269	860,385	[1]
Net unallocated expense	9,584	19,686		297	48,384
Noncontrolling interest	(22)	110	[1]	279	352	[1]
Earnings Before Income Taxes	261,000	257,732	[1]	886,021	859,780	[1]
Intersegment elimination
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	37,096	29,743		101,430	83,535
Operating Segments
Operating profit and other financial information
Segment Profit	270,606	277,308		886,039	907,812
Grocery Products
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	543,088	607,054		1,785,232	1,832,123
Grocery Products | Intersegment elimination
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	10	14		32	28
Grocery Products | Operating Segments
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	543,098	607,068		1,785,264	1,832,151
Segment Profit	58,778	83,433		$ 258,574	274,184
Refrigerated Foods
Operating profit and other financial information
Number of divisions | division				1
Net Sales	1,301,101	1,288,394		$ 3,837,732	3,788,097
Refrigerated Foods | Intersegment elimination
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	5,282	1,660		10,733	5,210
Refrigerated Foods | Operating Segments
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	1,306,383	1,290,054		3,848,465	3,793,307
Segment Profit	171,795	151,924		492,476	476,375
Jennie-O Turkey Store
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	298,781	316,100		925,271	942,735
Jennie-O Turkey Store | Intersegment elimination
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	31,804	28,069		90,665	78,297
Jennie-O Turkey Store | Operating Segments
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	330,585	344,169		1,015,936	1,021,032
Segment Profit	21,278	23,305		76,931	93,102
International & Other
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	147,735	147,594		447,569	458,048
International & Other | Intersegment elimination
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	0	0		0	0
International & Other | Operating Segments
Operating profit and other financial information
Net Sales	147,735	147,594		447,569	458,048
Segment Profit	$ 18,755	$ 18,646		$ 58,058	$ 64,151

[1] Adjusted due to the adoption of Accounting Standards Update (ASU) 2017-07, Compensation - Retirement Benefits: Improving the Presentation of Net Periodic Pension Cost and Net Periodic Postretirement Benefit Cost (Topic 715). See Note A - General.