I check around 7 times a day before every dose of insulin and before bed

I check mine 1440 times a day - ok, I wear a CGM (continuous glucose monitor)

When I was stick testing I always checked my Fasting Number - first thing in the morning before doing just about anything else - for it to be (clinically valuable) you need to check it practically as soon as you get up

And then I would check 2 hours (after the first bite) of Supper because that was the meal that typically had the most carbs in it on any given day

If I was checking to see if a meal was "safe" then, like Henry, I would test immediately before and 2 hours after the meal to see "how much it effected me" - if the blood sugar rise was "acceptable" (staying in my range) then I call the meal "safe"

If I was a little high I would reduce a few carbs in (that meal) the next time - a little low then maybe a bit more of the "carby foods" in that meal

I check my numbers both before and after meals