Consolidated Statements Of Income - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Jan. 02, 2016
Income Statement [Abstract]
Net revenue	$ 2,226,837	$ 2,109,227	$ 1,656,399
Cost of sales	1,426,666	1,345,437	1,077,110
Gross profit	800,171	763,790	579,289
Selling, general and administrative expenses	643,865	593,957	464,534
Transaction and integration related expenses	3,002	66,272	7,702
Settlements of certain litigation	0	0	5,675
Impairment charges	114,783	4,466	11,997
Other operating expense/(income), net	7	(5,554)	(1,251)
Operating income	38,514	104,649	90,632
Other (income)/expense, net	(1,514)	164	176
Income before interest and income taxes	40,028	104,485	90,456
Loss on early extinguishment of debt	0	4,749	0
Interest expense, net	38,765	32,613	10,853
Income before income taxes	1,263	67,123	79,603
Income tax (benefit)/expense	(146,144)	25,320	28,885
Income from continuing operations	147,407	41,803	50,718
Income/(loss) from discontinued operations, net of income tax	1,936	(27,100)	0
Net income	149,343	14,703	50,718
Net income/(loss) attributable to non-controlling interests	851	(182)	33
Net income attributable to Snyder’s-Lance, Inc.	148,492	14,885	50,685
Continuing operations	146,556	41,985	50,685
Discontinued operations	1,936	(27,100)	0
Net income attributable to Snyder's-Lance, Inc.	$ 148,492	$ 14,885	$ 50,685
Basic earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	$ 1.51	$ 0.46	$ 0.72
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.02	(0.29)	0.00
Total basic earnings per share (in dollars per share)	1.53	0.17	0.72
Diluted earnings per share:
Continuing operations (in dollars per share)	1.50	0.45	0.71
Discontinued operations (in dollars per share)	0.02	(0.29)	0.00
Total diluted earnings per share (in dollars per share)	1.52	0.16	0.71
Dividends declared per common share (in dollars per share)	$ 0.64	$ 0.64	$ 0.64