Side dishes for kids at Gukaechan, a banchan shop in Gwanggyo, Suwon

If you're a working mom raising two kids, you've probably had a day like this. "What should I make for dinner tonight?" You get home after work already running on empty, the kids are hungry, the fridge is bare, and there's no time to go grocery shopping.

I'm the same way — after finishing my piano lessons and getting home, I often don't have time to make side dishes, so I've been searching for Gwanggyo banchan (side dish) spots, Gwanggyo banchan shops, and good Gwanggyo banchan places. That's how I found Gukaechan (국애찬). It's become such a reliable go-to that it basically stocks my fridge now, so I wanted to introduce it.

Handmade banchan from a skilled mother and her nutritionist son

This is the biggest reason I've come to love Gukaechan. It's not just a place that sells side dishes — it's a handmade banchan shop run by a skilled mother and her nutritionist son together. Her years of home cooking experience combined with his professional nutrition knowledge means the dishes are made with both taste and nutrition in mind.

As a parent, hearing that was really reassuring. These days, healthy eating matters more than bold, intense flavors. Maybe that's why Gukaechan's side dishes felt restrained overall, with a comfortable, homemade taste.

What is the Gukaechan store in Gwanggyo like?

The first thing I noticed on my first visit was how clean the store was. You might picture a small neighborhood shop when you hear "banchan store," but Gukaechan's display was tidy and the hygiene management felt trustworthy.

Above all, the variety was impressive — from side dishes kids love to banchan that catch adults' taste buds, it felt like they had everything. Browsing the store and wondering "what should I eat today?" became genuinely fun.

The side dishes I bought

This time I picked up stir-fried anchovies, braised lotus root, squid strip stir-fry, and gungchae (stem lettuce) namul. You can tell from the photos how neat and tidy everything looks, right?

Stir-fried anchovies (myeolchi bokkeum)

A must-have for kids' meals. Gukaechan's stir-fried anchovies weren't hard or tough, with a savory-sweet balance that was just right, so the kids ate them well. There were nuts mixed in too, which gave it a nice crunch. When I put it over rice, my youngest kept picking at it.

Squid strip stir-fry (ojingeo silchae bokkeum)

Of everything I bought this time, the dish my kids ate the most was the squid strip stir-fry. Squid strips can easily turn out hard or chewy, but Gukaechan's version stayed soft and moist, making it easy to eat. It wasn't too sweet or salty, with just the right seasoning and a subtle savory depth that kept me reaching for more.

It also had almost no spice, which made it worry-free as a kid's side dish. My youngest kept saying it was tasty and finished it off quickly. Served alongside the stir-fried anchovies, a whole bowl of rice disappeared in no time.

Gungchae namul (stem lettuce salad)

Personally, this was the dish I was most looking forward to. The crunchy texture was really appealing. The more I chewed, the more savory it got, and the seasoning wasn't overdone, so I kept going back for more. It's a side dish that's hard to make well at home, which made it even more satisfying. I'd recommend it to anyone looking for healthy banchan these days.

Braised lotus root (yeongeun jorim)

This is one of my personal favorites. Braised lotus root is trickier to get right than it seems, but Gukaechan's version had a great texture and savory depth. It wasn't too mushy or too hard — just right. It's also a taste the kids could eat without any fuss.

Why I keep going back, as a working mom

The stir-fried anchovies, braised lotus root, gungchae namul, and squid strip stir-fry I bought this time all had an impressively restrained, homemade taste. Especially since it's handmade banchan combining the skilled mother's cooking and her nutritionist son's healthy recipes, it was even more satisfying for a working mom who worries about what her kids eat.

On days when I don't have time to make side dishes, I'll naturally keep coming back to this Gwanggyo banchan spot, this Gwanggyo banchan shop — Gukaechan.