my $values = { 'COOKIES' => '1', 'SILVER' => '1', }; my $hash = { 'COOKIES' => ['CHOCOLATE CHIP', 'PEANUT BUTTER'], 'METALS' => ['SILVER', 'GOLD', 'PLATINUM'], }; if ( $values->{ $hash->{'COOKIES'}[0] } || $values->{ $hash->{'COOKIES'}[1] } ) { print "This guy loves cookies."; } elsif ( $values->{ $hash->{'METALS'}[0] } || $values->{ $hash->{'METALS'}[1] } || $values->{ $hash->{'METALS'}[2] } ) { print "This guy loves previous metals."; } else { print "This guy loves nothing."; }