Acquisitions (Details) (USD $)	6 Months Ended	3 Months Ended		3 Months Ended			6 Months Ended			6 Months Ended
	Jul. 02, 2011	Jan. 01, 2011 Griffin Transaction [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Dec. 17, 2010 Griffin Transaction [Member] Common Stock [Member]	Jul. 02, 2011 Griffin Transaction [Member]	Apr. 02, 2011 Griffin Transaction [Member]	Jul. 03, 2010 Griffin Transaction [Member]	Jul. 02, 2011 Griffin Transaction [Member]	Jul. 03, 2010 Griffin Transaction [Member]	Dec. 17, 2010 Griffin Transaction [Member]	Jul. 02, 2011 Nebraska Transaction [Member]	May 28, 2010 Nebraska Transaction [Member]
Business Acquisition, Griffin, Pro Forma Information [Abstract]
Net sales						$ 322,295,000		$ 627,633,000
Income from continuing operations						37,719,000		71,725,000
Net income						24,356,000		45,883,000
Earnings Per Share
Basic						$ 0.26		$ 0.50
Diluted						$ 0.26		$ 0.49
Business Acquisition, Griffin Transaction [Abstract]
Total consideration paid									872,200,000
Cash consideration paid									740,500,000		15,300,000
Portion of cash paid included in escrow									33,600,000
Issuance of Darling common stock		10,000,000
Fair market value per share at closing			$ 13.06
Working capital adjustment between bakery goodwill and accounts receivable					1,700,000
Tax step up basis original accrual change				200,000
Accrued expense for the Company's election to step up the tax basis									13,600,000
Step Up Tax Basis Benefit Period	15
Fair market value at closing			130,600,000
Escrow receivable for certain over funding of working capital									16,300,000
Cash Paid For Step Up in Tax Basis				13,800,000
Long-term liability of contingent consideration for the true-up adjustment									3,800,000
Cash received from escrow				16,400,000			16,400,000
True up adjustment additional cash maximum				15,000,000			15,000,000
Per share amount true up market price less than							$ 10.002
Per share amount true up market price exceeds							$ 10.002
If the true-up market price exceeds $10.002 per share							No additional consideration will be paid
Contingent consideration revaluation amount							300,000
Reduction of additional contingent consideration							3,500,000
Business Acquisition Nebraska Transaction [Abstract]
Property, Plant and Equipment											9,600,000
Intangible Assets											2,800,000
Goodwill											2,800,000
Other											$ 100,000
Acquired finite-lived Intangible assets, weighted-average useful life										11