Debt - Narrative (Details)			12 Months Ended
	Feb. 22, 2019 USD ($)	Jan. 04, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2018 USD ($) entity	Dec. 31, 2017 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2019	Sep. 30, 2019	Jun. 30, 2019	Mar. 31, 2019	Jan. 17, 2019	Nov. 06, 2018 USD ($)	Oct. 16, 2017 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Feb. 25, 2015 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Number of wholly-owned entities | entity			2
Write-off of financing costs			$ 0	$ 1,080,000	$ 0
Proceeds from receivables securitization facility			2,420,000,000	2,525,000,000	945,000,000
Payments for receivables securitization facility			(2,435,000,000)	$ (2,360,000,000)	$ (905,000,000)
Senior Notes | Senior Notes Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Net debt issuance costs														$ 7,000,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs			4,600,000											1,800,000
Amount outstanding of line of credit			$ 695,400,000
Principal amount of debt instrument														$ 700,000,000
Debt instrument, interest rate (as a percent)														6.50%
Debt Instrument issue price to principal (as a percent)														100.00%
Senior Notes | Senior Notes Due 2023 | Period 3
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Redemption price (as a percent)			101.00%
Revolving Credit Facility | LIBOR
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)			2.25%
Revolving Credit Facility | Base Rate
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)			1.25%
Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity of credit facility													$ 450,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Percentage of guarantor's first-tier foreign subsidiaries (as a percent)			65.00%
Consolidated interest coverage ratio			3.50
Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Agreement | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Additional borrowing capacity of credit facility													200,000,000
Consolidated interest coverage ratio			4.25
Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Agreement | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated interest coverage ratio			2.25
Revolving Credit Facility | Amendment to Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total net leverage ratio		4.25
Net debt issuance costs		$ 700,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs		300,000
Write-off of financing costs		$ 900,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Amendment to Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility | LIBOR | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)		2.50%
Revolving Credit Facility | Amendment to Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility | LIBOR | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)		1.75%
Revolving Credit Facility | Amendment to Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility | Base Rate | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)		1.50%
Revolving Credit Facility | Amendment to Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility | Base Rate | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)		0.75%
Revolving Credit Facility | Letter of Credit | Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity of credit facility													75,000,000
Revolving Credit Facility | Swing Line Loan | Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity of credit facility													$ 100,000,000
Receivables securitization facility | Amendment to Receivables Securitization Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity of credit facility		$ 450,000,000
Net debt issuance costs		600,000									$ 700,000
Unamortized debt issuance costs		100,000									$ 100,000
Write-off of financing costs		$ 200,000
Receivables securitization facility | Amendment to Receivables Securitization Facility | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate (as a percent)		1.05%
Unused capacity fee (as a percent)		0.55%
Receivables securitization facility | Amendment to Receivables Securitization Facility | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate (as a percent)		0.90%
Unused capacity fee (as a percent)		0.40%
Dean Foods Company | Senior Notes Due 2023
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt instrument, interest rate (as a percent)			6.50%	6.50%
Dean Foods Company | Senior Secured Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount outstanding of line of credit			$ 19,300,000	$ 11,200,000
Subsidiary debt obligations | Senior Notes Due 2017
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Principal amount of debt instrument			142,000,000
Gross debt issuance costs												$ 4,900,000
Subsidiary debt obligations | Capital lease and other
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Capital lease and other			1,618,000	2,671,000
Subsidiary debt obligations | Receivables securitization facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Amount outstanding of line of credit			190,000,000	$ 205,000,000
Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Average daily balance under facility			2,600,000
Letters of credit issued			0
Receivables securitization facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity of credit facility			450,000,000
Amount outstanding of line of credit			109,600,000
Remaining borrowing capacity of line of credit facility			137,700,000
Average daily balance under facility			157,200,000
Current borrowing capacity of line of credit			437,300,000
Total receivables sold			$ 552,300,000
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity of credit facility	$ 265,000,000
Commitment reduction along with prepayment with net cash proceeds of asset sales (as a percent)	50.00%
Current borrowing capacity of line of credit	$ 175,000,000
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Facility | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Consolidated interest coverage ratio										4.25
Current borrowing capacity of line of credit	$ 100,000,000
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Facility | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Fixed charge coverage ratio	1.05
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Facility | Base Rate | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.75%
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Facility | Base Rate | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	1.25%
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Facility | Eurodollar Rate | Maximum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	2.75%
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Facility | Eurodollar Rate | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Basis spread on variable rate (as a percent)	2.25%
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Percentage of value of inventory and real property (as a percent)	65.00%
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Amendment to Senior Secured Revolving Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total net leverage ratio						4.25	5.25	5.50	5.00
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Letter of Credit | Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity of credit facility	$ 25,000,000
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Letter of Credit | Credit Facility | Minimum
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Liquidity determinant - unrestricted cash on hand	25,000,000
Subsequent Event | Revolving Credit Facility | Swing Line Loan | Credit Facility
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Maximum borrowing capacity of credit facility	$ 10,000,000