Not all health authorities give meters and testing strips on prescription - especially for Type 2s. It is worth asking for - you need to know what foods make your blood spike upwards by testing before eating and two hours after.
I am diabetic and the foods that I have to limit are potatoes, rice, pasta, bread, pastry, bananas, tomato sauce, baked beans, anything in breadcrumbs or batter, many breakfast cereals, fruit juice.
This is in addition to the obvious foodstuffs - chocolate, cake, biscuits, sweets, puddings, custard, pop.
I cannot eat sugar free mints, I assume it is the high carbs that cause me to spike.
Many type 2 diabetics follow a low carb, high fat diet. The fat keeps you feeling full and stops you snacking but as my cholesterol is high I can't follow that regime so I go for reduced carb, no added sugars.
First step - ask for a meter and testing strips and keep a food diary.