Tiny shaded garden - Veg in containers??

[Babyramone]

I have a small L shaped north/west facing garden which is quite shaded esp on north wall though does get sun on west side. I manage quite well to grow flowers and some grasses but what I'd like to do next is grow some veg.
I basically want to do some easy, low maintence ones which I can do with my son who's 3. Happy to grow from seed with seed trays etc.
I was wondering what ones would work? I have a very heavy clay soil and know I couldn't grow carrots etc but due to shadednss of garden it's slugsville so lettice etc would be out. Also want to to this as organically as possible due to small children so Slug pellets out.
I wondered then about growing in containers (had some success with potatoes last year and am doing these again)
Does anyone know what would grow well in a container and if there are any I could actually grow in the ground?
Thanks

Hi, My back yard faces North and I grew loads last year (and will be soon)
Lettuce/sping onions/carrots/radish all in window boxes
Fruit bushesin planters
Strawberries
Tomatos (tumbling ones are good in hanging baskets) and some in grow bags. Also Peppers and chillies
You can do Potatos in bins/sacks too.

By tomato/strawberry plants as its easier than doing form seed and they are usually fairly cheap for the amount of fruit you get
salad stuff is all fairly easy too.

I find strawberry plants a doddle, but you might be better with these in a pot or basket because the fruit does get attacked. Are you willing to use "non-chemical" methods of attack against the slugs? Also you could do things like put a copper band around the pot that the slugs won't slide over because otherwise they will get into your pot.

I have ordered some tumbling tom cherry tomatoes from Suttons which I am going to give a go this year. And I have also ordered 3 blueberry bushes which are going in pots on the patio. They are from J Parker.

I am really excited about my garden this year. I feel that now that DD is 3 in May I will finally have enough time to devote to it.

DD has chosen some sunflowers which we are hoping to plant at the weekend.