The chemical senses are typically studied in their adult state. However, adult chemosensation is profoundly shaped by complex developmental processes that start in utero and last until adolescence. The mechanisms underlying chemosensory processing in early life and their consequences for adult function are poorly understood, but have important implications for our understanding of perception and behavior across the lifespan. This symposium highlights recent work focused on how molecular, cellular and circuit-level neural processes during early development interact with environmental factors to shape chemosensory function, with a specific focus on eating behavior.