Basis of Presentation	6 Months Ended
Jul. 02, 2016
Accounting Policies [Abstract]
Basis of Presentation	BASIS OF PRESENTATION The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Snyder’s-Lance, Inc. (the “Company,” "we," "us," or "our") have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP") 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 disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. We use the equity method to account for investments over which we exercise significant influence but do not control. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in our Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 2016, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 1, 2016 (the "2015 Form 10-K"). In our opinion, these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal, recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the interim periods presented herein. The unaudited condensed consolidated results of operations for the second quarter and first six months of 2016 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, payable to growers, incentive compensation, income taxes, self-insurance, contingencies and litigation. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions. Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with current year presentation. Our significant accounting policies are summarized in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included in our 2015 Form 10-K. An update to these accounting policies associated with our acquisition of Diamond Foods, Inc. ("Diamond") is below. Inventories (Walnut) All inventories are accounted for on a lower of cost or market basis, with cost historically determined using a combination of first-in first-out ("FIFO") and weighted average cost. Through our acquisition of Diamond, we have walnut purchase agreements with growers, under which they deliver their walnut crop from the contracted acres to us during the fall harvest season, and pursuant to our walnut purchase agreements, we determine the purchase price for this inventory after receipt of the walnut crop. This purchase price is determined by us based on our discretion provided in the walnut purchase agreements, taking into account market conditions, crop size, and quality and nut varieties, among other relevant factors. Since the ultimate purchase price to be paid by us will be determined subsequent to receiving the walnut crop from the contracted acres, the amount presented as "Payable to growers" requires us to make an estimate of the final purchase price for our financial statements. Those estimates may subsequently change due to changes in the factors described above, and the effect of the change could be significant. Any such changes in estimates are accounted for in the period of change by adjusting inventory on hand or cost of goods sold if the inventory was sold. Changes in estimates may affect our ending inventory balances, as well as our gross profit. During the first quarter of 2016, we determined the final purchase price to be paid to the walnut growers for the current crop year. Accordingly, we were not required to estimate the purchase price in the second quarter of 2016. However, beginning in the third quarter of 2016, we will estimate the purchase price as we will begin to receive the new crop of walnut inventory during that quarter. Foreign Currency Translation The functional currency of our foreign operations is the applicable local currency, the British Pound and Euro. The functional currency is translated into U.S. dollars for balance sheet accounts using currency exchange rates in effect as of the balance sheet date, and for revenue and expense accounts using an average exchange rate in effect during the applicable period. Employee Benefits We incur various employment-related benefit costs with respect to qualified pension and deferred compensation plans. We utilize assumptions developed with assistance from third-party actuaries when estimating the liabilities for pension, other employee benefit plans and return on plan assets. These assumptions, where applicable, include the discount rates used to determine the actuarial present value of projected benefit obligations, the rate of increase in future compensation levels, employee turnover and mortality rates. We review our assumptions on an annual basis and make modifications to the assumptions based on current rates and trends when it is deemed appropriate. The benefit expense is generally recognized in the consolidated financial statements on an accrual basis over the average remaining service period for plan participants, and the accrued benefits are reported in current and noncurrent liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets, as appropriate. Business combinations We account for business combinations under the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 805-10, Business Combinations ("ASC 805-10"), which requires that the purchase method of accounting be used for all business combinations. Assets acquired and liabilities assumed, including non-controlling interests, are recorded at the date of acquisition at their respective fair values. ASC 805-10 also specifies criteria that intangible assets acquired in a business combination must meet to be recognized and reported apart from goodwill. Goodwill represents the excess purchase price over the fair value of the tangible net assets and intangible assets acquired in a business combination. Acquisition-related expenses are recognized separately from the business combinations and are expensed as incurred.

BASIS OF PRESENTATION

The accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements of Snyder’s-Lance, Inc. (the “Company,” "we," "us," or "our") have been prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP") 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 disclosures required by GAAP for complete financial statements. All significant intercompany balances and transactions have been eliminated. We use the equity method to account for investments over which we exercise significant influence but do not control. These unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements should be read in conjunction with the audited consolidated financial statements and notes included in our Form 10-K for the year ended January 2, 2016, which was filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") on March 1, 2016 (the "2015 Form 10-K"). In our opinion, these unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements reflect all normal, recurring adjustments necessary to present fairly our unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements for the interim periods presented herein. The unaudited condensed consolidated results of operations for the second quarter and first six months of 2016 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, payable to growers, incentive compensation, income taxes, self-insurance, contingencies and litigation. Actual results may differ from these estimates under different assumptions or conditions.

Certain prior year amounts have been reclassified to conform with current year presentation.

Our significant accounting policies are summarized in Note 1 to the consolidated financial statements included in our 2015 Form 10-K. An update to these accounting policies associated with our acquisition of Diamond Foods, Inc. ("Diamond") is below.

Inventories (Walnut)

All inventories are accounted for on a lower of cost or market basis, with cost historically determined using a combination of first-in first-out ("FIFO") and weighted average cost. Through our acquisition of Diamond, we have walnut purchase agreements with growers, under which they deliver their walnut crop from the contracted acres to us during the fall harvest season, and pursuant to our walnut purchase agreements, we determine the purchase price for this inventory after receipt of the walnut crop. This purchase price is determined by us based on our discretion provided in the walnut purchase agreements, taking into account market conditions, crop size, and quality and nut varieties, among other relevant factors. Since the ultimate purchase price to be paid by us will be determined subsequent to receiving the walnut crop from the contracted acres, the amount presented as "Payable to growers" requires us to make an estimate of the final purchase price for our financial statements. Those estimates may subsequently change due to changes in the factors described above, and the effect of the change could be significant. Any such changes in estimates are accounted for in the period of change by adjusting inventory on hand or cost of goods sold if the inventory was sold. Changes in estimates may affect our ending inventory balances, as well as our gross profit.

During the first quarter of 2016, we determined the final purchase price to be paid to the walnut growers for the current crop year. Accordingly, we were not required to estimate the purchase price in the second quarter of 2016. However, beginning in the third quarter of 2016, we will estimate the purchase price as we will begin to receive the new crop of walnut inventory during that quarter.

Foreign Currency Translation

The functional currency of our foreign operations is the applicable local currency, the British Pound and Euro. The functional currency is translated into U.S. dollars for balance sheet accounts using currency exchange rates in effect as of the balance sheet date, and for revenue and expense accounts using an average exchange rate in effect during the applicable period.

Employee Benefits

We incur various employment-related benefit costs with respect to qualified pension and deferred compensation plans. We utilize assumptions developed with assistance from third-party actuaries when estimating the liabilities for pension, other employee benefit plans and return on plan assets. These assumptions, where applicable, include the discount rates used to determine the actuarial present value of projected benefit obligations, the rate of increase in future compensation levels, employee turnover and mortality rates. We review our assumptions on an annual basis and make modifications to the assumptions based on current rates and trends when it is deemed appropriate. The benefit expense is generally recognized in the consolidated financial statements on an accrual basis over the average remaining service period for plan participants, and the accrued benefits are reported in current and noncurrent liabilities on the consolidated balance sheets, as appropriate.

Business combinations

We account for business combinations under the provisions of Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 805-10, Business Combinations ("ASC 805-10"), which requires that the purchase method of accounting be used for all business combinations. Assets acquired and liabilities assumed, including non-controlling interests, are recorded at the date of acquisition at their respective fair values. ASC 805-10 also specifies criteria that intangible assets acquired in a business combination must meet to be recognized and reported apart from goodwill. Goodwill represents the excess purchase price over the fair value of the tangible net assets and intangible assets acquired in a business combination. Acquisition-related expenses are recognized separately from the business combinations and are expensed as incurred.