Basis Of Presentation	9 Months Ended
Sep. 28, 2013
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation [Text Block]	BASIS OF PRESENTATION The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Snyder’s-Lance, Inc. (the "Company") have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes included in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2012, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 2013. In our opinion, these condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal, recurring accruals, necessary to present fairly our condensed consolidated financial statements for the interim periods presented herein. The consolidated results of operations for the quarter and nine months ended September 28, 2013, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year. The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments about future events that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Future events and their effects cannot be determined with absolute certainty. Therefore, management’s determination of estimates and judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities requires the exercise of judgment in the selection and application of assumptions based on various factors, including historical experience, current and expected economic conditions and other factors believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. We routinely evaluate our estimates, including those related to sales and promotional allowances, customer returns, allowances for doubtful accounts, inventory valuations, useful lives of fixed assets and related impairment, long-term investments, hedge transactions, goodwill and intangible asset valuations and impairments, incentive compensation, income taxes, self-insurance, contingencies and litigation. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Prior year amounts shown in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been reclassified for consistent presentation. Our significant accounting policies are summarized in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2012. An update to these accounting policies is below. Self-Insurance Reserves We maintain reserves for the self-funded portions of employee medical insurance benefits. Our portion of employee medical claims is generally limited to $0.3 million per participant annually by stop-loss insurance coverage. Due to the significance of certain historical claims, our 2013 stop-loss insurance coverage limit was increased to $5.0 million in aggregate for a specific portion of our self-funded claims. For the quarter and nine months ended September 28, 2013, we have recorded $0.4 million and $5.0 million, respectively, in pre-tax expenses associated with these claims.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Snyder’s-Lance, Inc. (the "Company") have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States for interim financial information and the instructions to Form 10-Q and Article 10 of Regulation S-X. Accordingly, they do not include all of the information and footnotes required by generally accepted accounting principles for complete financial statements. These condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited financial statements and notes included in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2012, filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on February 25, 2013. In our opinion, these condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all adjustments, consisting of only normal, recurring accruals, necessary to present fairly our condensed consolidated financial statements for the interim periods presented herein. The consolidated results of operations for the quarter and nine months ended September 28, 2013, are not necessarily indicative of the results to be expected for the full year.

The preparation of these financial statements requires us to make estimates and judgments about future events that affect the reported amounts of assets, liabilities, revenues and expenses, and related disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities. Future events and their effects cannot be determined with absolute certainty. Therefore, management’s determination of estimates and judgments about the carrying values of assets and liabilities requires the exercise of judgment in the selection and application of assumptions based on various factors, including historical experience, current and expected economic conditions and other factors believed to be reasonable under the circumstances. We routinely evaluate our estimates, including those related to sales and promotional allowances, customer returns, allowances for doubtful accounts, inventory valuations, useful lives of fixed assets and related impairment, long-term investments, hedge transactions, goodwill and intangible asset valuations and impairments, incentive compensation, income taxes, self-insurance, contingencies and litigation. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Prior year amounts shown in the accompanying condensed consolidated financial statements have been reclassified for consistent presentation.

Our significant accounting policies are summarized in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included in our Form 10-K for the year ended December 29, 2012. An update to these accounting policies is below.

Self-Insurance Reserves

We maintain reserves for the self-funded portions of employee medical insurance benefits. Our portion of employee medical claims is generally limited to $0.3 million per participant annually by stop-loss insurance coverage. Due to the significance of certain historical claims, our 2013 stop-loss insurance coverage limit was increased to $5.0 million in aggregate for a specific portion of our self-funded claims. For the quarter and nine months ended September 28, 2013, we have recorded $0.4 million and $5.0 million, respectively, in pre-tax expenses associated with these claims.