Extract value from array then run if on value - php

Question

I have an array of items (cheese) in a checkbox format like so
array(
'type' => 'checkbox',
"holder" => "div",
"class" => "",
"heading" => __("Choose your cheese topping", 'rbm_menu_item'),
'param_name' => 'cheesbox',
'value' => array( 'Cheddar'=>'Chedder', 'Gouda'=>' Gouda', 'Bleu'=>' Bleu'),
"description" => __("<br /><hr class='gduo'>", 'rbm_menu_item')
),
The values of the array are displayed on a page (in a hidden div) using the heredoc declaration with an if to check if the checkbox has been used - if the return is empty the div does not show - if one of the checkboxes is "checked" then it does.
///Cheese selections
if (!empty($cheesbox)) {
$output .= <<< OUTPUT
<br />
<div class="sides">Comes with: <p>{$cheesebox}</p></div>
<br />
OUTPUT4;
}
What I need to do is pull any one of the values in the array and if its in the $cheesebox the do something.
Ive tried using an ifelse like this
if ( ('$cheesebox') == "Cheddar" ){
echo "Your topping is Cheddar";
}
elseif ( ('$cheesebox') == "Gouda" ){
{
echo "Your topping is Gouda";
}
elseif ( ('$cheesebox') == "Bleu" ){
{
echo "Your topping is Bleu";
}
however this does not work - I'm sure I have it wrong somehere along the line or does the heredoc function only allow for one?
if so is there a way to accomplish this?

Answer 1

Single quotes in PHP mean a literal string with no parsing of variables. Try this:
if ($cheesebox == "Cheddar") {
echo "Your topping is Cheddar";
} else if ($cheesebox == "Gouda") {
echo "Your topping is Gouda";
} else if ($cheesebox == "Bleu") {
echo "Your topping is Bleu";
}
Better yet:
if (in_array($cheesebox, ['Cheddar', 'Gouda', 'Bleu'])) {
echo "Your topping is {$cheesebox}";
}
EDIT: In response to your further requirements in the comments:
In your PHP:
$cheeses = ['Cheddar', 'Gouda', 'Bleu'];
$cheeseBoxes = '';
foreach ($cheeses as $cheese) {
$cheeseClass = $cheesebox == $cheese ? '' : 'cheese-hidden';
$cheeseBoxes .= <<<CHEESE
<div class="cheese {$cheeseClass}">
<p>Cheese: {$cheese}</p>
<img src="/images/cheeses/{$cheese}.png" alt="A picture of some {$cheese}" />
</div>
CHEESE;
}
// Then, wherever you need it, or just use $cheeseBoxes in your chosen heredoc:
echo $cheeseBoxes;
In your CSS, to hide the inactive ones:
.cheese.cheese-hidden {
display: none;
}