Segment Reporting - Operating Profit (Details) $ in Thousands	3 Months Ended	6 Months Ended
Apr. 24, 2016 USD ($)	Apr. 26, 2015 USD ($)	Apr. 24, 2016 USD ($) segment	Apr. 26, 2015 USD ($)
Operating profit and other financial information
Number of reportable business segments \| segment			5
Sales	$ 2,300,235	$ 2,279,345	$ 4,592,907	$ 4,674,418
Segment Operating Profit	323,817	277,697	683,355	543,663
Net interest and investment expense (income)	(380)	1,966	4,990	3,895
General corporate expense	14,057	9,824	29,189	13,077
Noncontrolling interest	(13)	234	93	946
EARNINGS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	324,197	275,731	678,365	539,768
Intersegment sales
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	33,946	39,983	66,679	79,571
Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	2,300,235	2,279,345	4,592,907	4,674,418
Segment Operating Profit	337,887	287,287	712,451	555,794
Intersegment elimination
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	(33,946)	(39,983)	(66,679)	(79,571)
Grocery Products
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	401,472	397,265	793,690	807,016
Grocery Products \| Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	401,472	397,265	793,690	807,016
Segment Operating Profit	67,110	55,327	132,383	96,702
Refrigerated Foods
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	1,092,479	1,022,511	2,254,600	2,166,726
Refrigerated Foods \| Intersegment sales
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	3,657	3,560	5,987	7,743
Refrigerated Foods \| Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	1,096,136	1,026,071	2,260,587	2,174,469
Segment Operating Profit	130,002	114,837	296,910	215,989
Jennie-O Turkey Store
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	423,540	438,912	795,606	878,931
Jennie-O Turkey Store \| Intersegment sales
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	30,280	36,398	60,683	71,782
Jennie-O Turkey Store \| Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	453,820	475,310	856,289	950,713
Segment Operating Profit	89,678	74,596	180,981	167,616
Specialty Foods
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	272,484	287,424	510,263	550,698
Specialty Foods \| Intersegment sales
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	9	25	9	46
Specialty Foods \| Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	272,493	287,449	510,272	550,744
Segment Operating Profit	36,853	21,144	63,646	39,720
International & Other
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	110,260	133,233	238,748	271,047
International & Other \| Operating segment
Operating profit and other financial information
Sales	110,260	133,233	238,748	271,047
Segment Operating Profit	$ 14,244	$ 21,383	$ 38,531	$ 35,767

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This element represents the income or loss from continuing operations attributable to the economic entity which may also be defined as revenue less expenses from ongoing operations, after income or loss from equity method investments, but before income taxes, extraordinary items, and noncontrolling interest.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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Amount of Net Income (Loss) attributable to noncontrolling interest.

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Number of segments reported by the entity. A reportable segment is a component of an entity for which there is an accounting requirement to report separate financial information on that component in the entity's financial statements.

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The net result for the period of deducting operating expenses from operating revenues.

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Total revenue from sale of goods and services rendered during the reporting period, in the normal course of business, reduced by sales returns and allowances, and sales discounts.

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-Name Accounting Standards Codification
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